Wisdom Talks About Work: Finding God's Purpose in Our veryday Lives Copyright C 2016 by Anna Joy Lowell All Rights Reserved. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Laws. This book is intended for single family use or individual teacher use only. It may not be reproduced or transmitted outside of your immediate family or classroom by any means without permission from the author. The purchaser of this book has permission to print unlimited copies of the family study and journal pages for immediate family or classroom use only. Cover Image from Prixel Creative, Lightstock.com Graphics and Borders by duclips Additional Borders by RebeccaB Designs Mazes licensed from Mazegenerator.net For more information on how to use this book, or to purchase additional studies in this series, please visit Path Through the Narrow Gate.com Table of Contents: 1. Why is Work So Hard? 2. Work: God's Path of Blessing 3. Why Should You Work Hard? 4. Are You Complaining? 5. Boaz and Ruth: A Hard Working Couple 6. The Ant and the Sluggard 7. A Skilled Man 8. Skillful Workers 9. God Works a Miracle 10. Are You a Busybody? 11. A Servant Leader 12. The Blessing of Work 13. Doing Good Works 14. An xample to Follow 15. Honoring Those Who Work Among Us 16. "You Don't Have to Work Hard..." 17. Commit Your Works to the Lord 18. Work in Studying 19. A Child Who Studied God's Word 20. A Hard Working Missionary 21. Can Work Become an Idol? 22. A Man Who Wouldn't Give Up! 23. A Man Who Wouldn't Give Up! (con't) 24. A Hard Working Woman 25. God's Work in Creation 26. Jesus Worked When We Could Not 27. Jesus Made Time for the Most Important Things 28. Jesus' Perfect Work 29. Jesus Finished His Work 30. Resting in Faith While Working for God's Glory
Lesson One, Level Two Why is Work So Hard? Do you think that work is good or bad? Did you know that work is really good? God created Adam and ve (and us!) to work. But, work is really hard, too, isn't it? When Adam and ve disobeyed God and sinned, work became hard. ven though work is hard, God still wants us to work. Read Genesis 2:8 9; 2:15 18; and 3:17 19 God created us to work. Work is a good thing! Lesson Two, Level Two WORK: God's Path of Blessing In yesterday's lesson, we learned that God created people to work. Work is good, even though it is hard. Today, we are going to read a Bible passage that tells us that work is God's path to blessing. When we work hard, God blesses us with some really good things. When we refuse to work, we will not get these good things. Read Proverbs 10:1 5 Trace the paths below and read the words as you trace: Disobeys parents Delivered from death God's Path of Blessing: Work Is respected Hunger But, work became hard when sin entered the world. Can you draw some thorns and weeds in this picture? How about a hot sun and some sweat drops? Listens to and obeys parents Death, not profit Has money Poverty Shame Satisfied with food Man's Path: Laziness
Lesson Three, Level Two Why Should You Work Hard? Read 1 Peter 4:10-11; Colossians 3:23 24 When we work, who should we be working for? These verses tell us that we need to be working for God. God sees our work, and He cares about it. How about you? When you work, do you work hard? Do you think that God is pleased with your work? Look at each picture below. Then, color the number of stars that shows how hard you work at each job. Five stars means that you do your very best job. How are you doing? Are you working your hardest? If not, ask God to help you to work hard. Lesson Four, Level Two Are You Complaining? In our last lesson, we learned from Colossians 3:23 24 that God sees our work and cares about it. We need to be doing our best work because we are working for God. Colossians 3:12 17 tells us that we need to be working with a good attitude, not with a complaining attitude. Read Colossians 3:12 17 Then, write the good attitudes that we should have while we are working into the crossword puzzle below. Love Peace Kindness Humility Gentleness Patience Thankfulness G H K N M P H K S S Y V S S Are you able to work with good attitudes like love, thankfulness, and patience? Or do you complain while you work? If you find yourself complaining, ask God to change your heart. He will help you to work with a good attitude.
Lesson Five, Level Two Boaz and Ruth: A Hard Working Couple Ruth was a Moabite woman who had put her trust in the One, True God. Her husband had died, however, and she was very poor. She needed to work hard to get food for herself and her mother in law, Naomi. Read Ruth 1:22 2:7 and 2:17 18 In the puzzle below, cross off all of these letters: Then, write the letters that are not crossed off in the spaces below to read what Boaz said to Ruth. R B, F, I, T F I W B A Lesson Six, Level Two The Ant and the Sluggard Read Proverbs 6:6 11 Can you find a little word in the word "sluggard"? Circle it below. S L U G G A R D A sluggard is someone who doesn't work hard at all. Who should the sluggard learn from? What is the ant busy doing during the summer and the fall? 1. Working to find food 2. Sleeping 3. ating 4. Playing soccer If this were a race, who would win? R D T W O T R B K F I W T B I A G B F S "May the LORD your, and your be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge." Ruth 2:12 (NASB) When you work, do you work like an ant or a sluggard?
Lesson Seven, Level Two A Skilled Man Read Proverbs 22:29 Who will a skillful man stand before? Read Proverbs 12:11 This verse tells us that a foolish man wastes his time doing worthless things instead of working. Lesson ight, Level Two Skillful Workers Read Proverbs 22:29; Proverbs 12:11 As you do the maze below, circle the slug if the child is wasting time, like in Proverbs 12:11b. Circle the ant if the child is doing something that will help him to do a good job later on, like in Proverbs 22:29. Today, people aren't usually hired by kings, because there aren't very many kings around anymore. But, people who own companies want to have employees who do a good job. Teachers appreciate students who work hard. Parents are thankful when their kids work well. And, God is glorified when we work for Him. What is one kind of work that you are good at? How can you work hard and practice to become even better at this work? What is one way that you sometimes waste your time?
Lesson Nine, Level Two God Works a Miracle Read 2 Kings 6:1 7 Fill in the blanks in the story below using the words in the box: borrowed small trees float fall ax build stick The prophets were living in a house, but it was too for them. They needed a bigger house. So they decided to one. They asked lisha to come with them. They went to a place near the Jordan river to chop down some for the beams of the house. But, as one man was chopping the wood, his head fell into the river. The man was very upset because the ax was. lisha asked the man, "Where did it? He showed him. lisha cut off a and threw it into the water. This made the iron ax head. The man was able to pick up the ax head out of the water. God sees our work and cares about it. In this story, we read about some prophets who needed something. They worked hard to get it, and God protected them in their work. Lesson Ten, Level Two Are You a Busybody? Read 2 Thessalonians 3:10 13 Do you know what a busybody is? A busybody is someone who is so busy trying to make sure that everybody else is doing what they should be doing, that the busybody does not have time to do his or her own work. Do you ever act like a busybody? Yes In the puzzle below, cross off all of these letters: B, F, X, M Then, write the letters that are not crossed off in the spaces below to read God's special message to us about being busybodies. "But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, and to make it your ambition to lead a life and attend to your business and with your." 1 Thessalonians 4:10 11 (NASB) No Q U B I M T M X O W F N M W O F B R X K H A X N D M S
Lesson leven, Level Two Lesson Twelve, Level Two A Servant Leader Read Philippians 2:3 8 The Blessing of Work Read verse 8 again. When Jesus came to earth to serve us by dying on the cross in our place, he h b d Himself. Do you work with a humble attitude? Can you find these attitudes in the word search below? love Because we live in a sin filled world, sometimes people cannot work to get the things they need. How does the Bible tell us to treat people who do not have the blessings of work? unity mercy servant joy obey humility When you work, do you work with a humble attitude? If not, ask God to help you! But whoever has the world's, and sees his brother in need and closes his against him, how does the of God abide in him? Little children let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:18 NASB Read 1 John 3:16 18 and Acts 20:34 35
Lesson Thirteen, Level Two Doing Good Works God is pleased and glorified when we work hard to serve other people. Look at the numbers in the spaces below. On top of the number, write the letter on the clock that is found in place of the number. (For example, 1 = T, 2 = H, 12 = A.) 4 7 12 5 8 For by you have been 9 12 10 8 11 through 6 12 3 1. 2 And this is not your own doing; it is the 4 3 6 1 of God. phesians 2:8 This verse tells us that we are saved by grace through faith not because of the good works that we do. We can never be good enough to work our way to heaven. However, we do please and glorify God when we serve other people. Do not neglect to do 4 oo 11 and to 9 2 12 7 8 what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to o. 4 11 Hebrews 13:16 Lesson Fourteen, Level Two An xample to Follow Today, we are going to read about a real life hero who did good works and God did something amazing in her life! Read Acts 9:36 43 As you read the story below, circle the best word to complete each sentence. In (Jerusalem / Joppa) there was a Christian named (Tabitha / Margaret) who was very kind to the poor. Tabitha got very sick and (sneezed / died). The disciples knew that (John / Peter) was in a town near to them, so they sent for him to come quickly. When Peter came, he found many (widows / pastors) there weeping because Tabitha had died. The widows showed Peter the (food / clothes) that Tabitha had made for them. Peter knelt down by Tabitha's bed and (sang a song / prayed). God raised Tabitha from the dead. When other people heard about it in Joppa, they (were scared of / believed in) the Lord. Tabitha used her skills in sewing to meet the needs of some widows who probably didn't have money to buy clothes. What about you? Do you have skills that you can use to bless people around you? Read phesians 2:8-10 How can you show people God's goodness today?
Lesson Fifteen, Level Two Honoring Those Who Work Among Us So far in this study, we have been talking about a lot of different ways that we can work. The Bible reminds us, however, that there are some people who have been working for us. We need to appreciate them and honor them for their work. Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12 13 The authors of 1 Thessalonians are reminding us to appreciate the people who are working to teach us the Word of God. On the lines below, write down the names of some people who work hard to teach you the Bible. This Bible passage goes on to tell us some ways that we can appreciate and honor those who are working among us by not fighting with each other, praying for our teachers, and being thankful. Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12 22 Super Secret Assignment: Choose one person from your list and write them a quick note, thanking them for teaching you God's Word and letting them know that you are praying for them. You can use the note on the next page, if you want! Dear, Thank you for teaching me about. I like it when you. I am praying for you! Sincerely,
are Lesson Sixteen, Level Two "You Don't Have to Work Hard..." We have already learned that God's path of blessing to getting the things we need is through work. However, Satan sometimes comes to us and lies to us by telling us that we don't really have to work hard for the things we need. He tells us that we can get money and wealth easily through stealing, lying, and tricking other people. Finish the maze, then pick up the letters on the correct path and place them into the verse below. N F G H D O W O O G H K C R A X S W L F U S T V Q Bread obtained by is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be filled with. Proverbs 20:17 Read Proverbs 11:18 & phesians 4:28 L A R O G N N W A Y T O A Y T O H D N G L P O Lesson Seventeen, Level Two Commit Your Work to the Lord Read Psalm 127:1 2 God wants us to work hard. However, God is the One Who blesses our work. Without God's blessing, our work is in "vain" or worthless and not successful. We need to remember that any good thing that we get from our work, any success that we have, comes from God and not from ourselves. Solve the maze below, then read the verse that you discover on the correct path. Nice will get Nope. your You stuck. (Told you!) try. works to will very, be established. Commit very, badly the plans You lost. no. Wrong LORD your yet. license driver's and your Oh, way to I hope you You can commit your work to God by praying and asking Him to help you in whatever you are doing. go. don't have license yet. Pray! Proverbs 16:3
Lesson ighteen, Level Two Work in Studying? One of the ways that you are probably working hard right now in your life is through studying. School work can be really hard, can't it? What is your favorite subject in school? What is your least favorite subject? You can work hard to glorify God through your school work. You can also work hard to glorify God and become more like Jesus as you study God's holy Word, the Bible. Read the following verses about studying the Bible. Then, find the words about studying in the word search below. Read Joshua 1:8 9; Proverbs 2:6; James 1:22 words wisdom hear look listen study think memorize read Lesson Nineteen, Level Two A Child Who Studied God's Word You may be tempted to think that you can't understand the Bible because you are young. This is not true. In today's lesson, we are going to read about a young man who studied the Bible from the time he was a child. Read 2 Timothy 3:14 17 According to 2 Timothy 3:15, Paul tells Timothy that the Sacred Writings or Holy Scriptures were able to give Timothy wisdom that would lead to what? s through faith in Christ J Read the statements below, then check the box that best describes you right now. Are there some things you need to do better in? I work to memorize Bible verses. I enjoy learning Bible stories. I go to church and listen. I pray everyday and ask God to help me. I pay attention when my parents and teachers teach me about God. Most of the Time Sometimes Never
Lesson Twenty, Level Two A Hard-Working Missionary Paul was a missionary. He worked hard to teach people about God's plan of salvation through the death and resurrection of God's perfect Son, Jesus. Read 2 Thessalonians 3:7 13 Paul has a special message for us about work. Look at the numbers in the spaces below. On top of the number, write the letter on the clock that is found in place of the number. (For example, 1=Q, 2=A, 12=K.) Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to _ 3 6 9_ 12 in 1 4 10 7 11 fashion and 7 2 11 their 6 3 5 8 9 7 d. 2 But as for you, brethren, do not grow 3 7 2 y 9 of doing good. 2 Thessalonians 3:12 13 Lesson Twenty-One, Level Two Can Work Become an IDOL? Today, we are going to read about a woman who made work an idol in her life. An idol can be anything that we value more than God. Read Luke 10:38 42 As you read the story below, circle the best word to complete each sentence. As Jesus entered into a certain town, a woman named (Martha / Tabitha) welcomed Him into her (barn / home). Martha had a sister named (Sally / Mary). While Jesus was in Martha's home, He started teaching. (Mary / Martha) sat at Jesus' feet and listened to all that He said. She loved Jesus and wanted to spend time with Him and learn from Him. (Martha / Mary) was busy in the kitchen, getting food ready. She became angry because Mary was not (painting the porch / helping her). She asked (Paul / Jesus) to tell Mary to help her. Instead, Jesus said that Mary had chosen the better thing spending time with Him. Are you spending time each day getting to know God better through reading the Bible and praying? Or, are you too "busy" doing other things?
Lesson Twenty-Two, Level Two A Man Who Wouldn't Give Up! Today's story is about a man named Nehemiah who wouldn't give up. Nehemiah was the king's own cupbearer. He was upset because he had heard that his people, the Jews, were in danger in Jerusalem because the walls had been broken down. The people in Jerusalem could not defend themselves from their enemies. Read Nehemiah 2:1 8 The King Artaxerxes sent Nehemiah back to Jerusalem to build the walls. The king even gave Nehemiah some of the supplies he needed! When Nehemiah got to Jerusalem and started building the wall, the enemies of the Jews became very angry. Read Nehemiah 4:1 4 The enemies of the Jews mocked or teased the people who were working hard, but Nehemiah and the Jews didn't stop working or give up. They kept on building. Just for fun: Can you draw the wall behind Nehemiah? (Make it strong enough that Mr. Fox can't break it! Lesson Twenty-Three Level Two A Man Who Wouldn't Give Up! (Con't) In the last lesson, we started reading about Nehemiah. Nehemiah and the Jews didn't give up the work of building the wall, even when Tobiah and Sanballat made fun of them. Read Nehemiah 4:6 8 The wall was half built and the Jews' enemies were angry! They threatened to come and attack the people who were busy working. Would this stop Nehemiah? Read Nehemiah 4:9 16 Nehemiah prayed and asked God for protection. Then, he armed the workers so they would be ready in case of a surprise attack and the people kept on working. God protected the people. The enemies never even attacked and the wall was finally finished. Use the words in the bricks below to finish these verses. Do not be of them; the L who is and awesome. Nehemiah 4:14b When all our heard of it... they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this had been accomplished with the help of our. Nehemiah 6:16 G remember work afraid What kind of work frustrates you and makes you want to give up? God enemies great Lord
Lesson Twenty-Four, Level Two A Hard Working Woman Read Proverbs 31:10 31 Use the bold words in the verses below to complete the crossword puzzle. H P L F D W N K H Blank Page Y S She... works with her hands in delight. (vs. 13) She brings her food from afar. (vs. 14) She rises also while it is still night. (vs.15) She considers a field and buys it. (vs. 16) She extends her hand to the poor; And she stretches out her hands to the needy. (vs. 20) She looks well to the ways of her household. (vs. 27)...a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. (vs. 30)
Lesson Twenty-Five, Level Two God's Work in Creation I hope that by now you know that God has called us to work. Have you ever thought of the work that God has done Himself? One of the most magnificent ways in which we can see God's work is through the world around us. As you read the verses below, color what God created each day. Day 1 sky dark light Day 5 Genesis 1:20 23 Genesis 1:24 26 God completed His work. The creation of the world by God is the starting point for the Bible and the foundation of the Christian faith. God has a right to be the supreme ruler of the universe because He created it. He has determined what is right and what is wrong because He made the world. Day 2 Day 7 Genesis 1:3 5 Genesis 1:7 8 6 Genesis 2:1 2 Did you know... that Jesus Christ was working with God when God created the world? John 1:1 3 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being." The Word is another name for Jesus! 3 Genesis 1:9 13 Day 4 Genesis 1:14 19
Lesson Twenty-Six, Level Two Lesson Twenty-Seven, Level Two Jesus Worked When We Could Not Jesus Made Time for the Most Important Things When God created the world, He made it perfect. However, God gave Adam and ve a choice. They could choose to obey God, or they could choose to reject Him and disobey Him. Adam and ve chose to reject God and sin. Since Adam and ve, every person ever born (except Jesus Christ) has been born a sinner. ven one sin is disobeying God. God is perfectly holy and just. He cannot allow any sin to come into His presence. Read Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; John 3:16 In the puzzle below, cross off all of these letters: B, L, X, M, Z Jesus was very busy doing the work that God had called Him to do while He was here on earth. ven though Jesus was very busy, He still slowed down and made time for the things that are important to God. Read the verses below, then trace the maze from the verses to the things that Jesus made time for. Hint: Using different colors will make it easier! Matthew Going to the 19:13 15 Synagogue Then, read write the letters that are not crossed off in the spaces below to read what John the Baptist said about Jesus. G L O D X B T M A K X M B S X Z A M W L B A Z M Y X M I N L Z S B L "Behold, the Lamb of who the of the world!" John 1:29 Luke 5:15 16 Mark 6:30 32 Luke 4:16 Resting in a quiet place Spending time with and blessing children. Praying How are you doing in these areas? Are you following Jesus' example and making time to pray, rest, go to church, and be kind to other people?
Lesson Twenty-ight, Level Two Jesus' Perfect Work We have studied different people in the Bible who have worked hard, including Tabitha, Paul, Timothy, and Nehemiah. These people all worked hard and are good examples to us. Today, though, we are going to study a Man Who worked perfectly and completely fulfilled God's will. Read Philippians 2:3 13 Who does Paul say that we need to copy in our attitudes and work? How far was Jesus willing to go to obey God? Jesus was willing to obey to the point of d (vs. 8) K S N H V B M V O M H S V W H L O R V D S G L O S M R Y In the puzzle on the left, cross off these letters: S, M, H, V Then, write the letters that are NOT crossed off in the spaces below....god also highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every will... and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is, to the of God the Father. Philippians 2:9 11 Lesson Twenty-Nine, Level Two Jesus Finished His Work Read John 3:14 17 God sent Jesus into the world to obey perfectly and to die for the sins of His people, so that they might be saved. Read John 19:16 18 and 28 30 What were Jesus' last words on the cross? (vs. 30) "It is." Jesus finished His work well! Jesus did not stay dead. He rose again and is now seated at the right hand of God in heaven. Finish the maze, then "pick up" the letters on the correct path and place them into the verses below to see what Jesus said about His work. A X B T I N X A K R "I have glorified You on the earth. I have the which You have given Me to do. John 17:4 NKJV T C A F B V H I S D W U O
been Nope! Lesson Thirty, Level Two Resting in Faith While Working For God's Glory Read phesians 2:1 10 Without faith in Jesus Christ, we are hopelessly dead in our sins. Jesus did the work of living a perfect life in our place and then dying on the cross to take the punishment for our sins. We can rest in Jesus' saving work for us while we joyfully obey God and work for Him because we love Him and want to serve Him. Find your way through the maze, then write the missing words in the verse on the next page. by you grace and here. Up down. Not have are How way was you? saved Coming this probably a that For through bad Are and faith; you result of works idea. Where do you of not Yes, lost? Yes, you a are. not as you're going? it yourselves, think you are. is the gift of Definitely God; stuck. For by you have been through ; and that not of yourselves, it is the of ; not as a result of, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them phesians 2:8 10 Our study about work is over! What is one thing that you have learned about work from the Bible?