“The good person brings good things out of a good treasure, and the evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure” (Matthew 12:35).

What are you storing up in your heart? If you read Scripture and fill your heart with knowledge of the Lord and your activities seek the Lord’s will, then you are building a good treasure. If you are serving yourself, then you are building a bad treasure. The direction of your heart will store up what it desires. Do you desire the Christ-life, or a life that is built upon your own desires?

Lord, I confess to You that I have both desires going on in me. The self-centered person in me must decrease and Your image in me must increase. Sometimes I do not even know which is which. Lead me, Lord, so that I may be on the path of salvation more consistently. Take away the desire for the self and replace that with a longing for You in all I say and do. You know what is needed.

Lord, save me from myself. Often, I do not know one life from the other. Grant me the hope of salvation that, through all things You will guide me in Your goodness, to complete the faith that You have poured into me. Through all that I experience in this life, keep me with You in the upward call You have given me by grace. Grant that I would look to You alone as the source of my being. Amen.

“You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things, when you are evil? For out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34).

What is in your heart? Where you are rooted will guide how you think and what you say. If you are worldly, it will show. If you are rooted in the Lord, it will be evident. In this age, we are a mixture of both. What will increase and what will decrease? Will you die to sin, death, and the devil? In eternity there will be no mixing of the two. You will either be one who is with the Lord, or one who is against Him, and judged accordingly.

You have created us in Your image Lord, but we all like sheep have gone astray. You have come in the flesh to redeem as many as would believe and follow You. Guide me, Lord, in the way You know I need to go. Let me see the path I need to walk. Create in me a new and clean heart that longs for You and Your ways. Through all things, lead me to humbly live the Christ-life You give me.

I ask you, Lord Jesus, to make of me what You will. Where I need to be humbled, humble me. Where I need to be bold, grant me courage. Whatever it is that You see that I need, teach me to accept Your guidance to become what You are making of me. Keep me on the narrow path of Your salvation so that I may live the life You have set before me to become what You are making of me. Amen.

Scripture

Daniel 10:10-14; 12:1-3

Script
Pastor: Good morning boys and girls! Welcome! Let’s say good morning to our

friend Sammy and see if she is there. Ready? One, two, three: Good morning,
Sammy!

Sammy: Good morning, everyone!

Pastor: Today is a special day.

Sammy: Yes! It’s Sunday! We are here to worship God!

Pastor: That’s true, Sammy. But today is also a feast day.

Sammy: That’s perfect! I love food! What’s for lunch?

Pastor: No, Sammy, not that kind of a feast day.

Sammy: What do you mean?

Pastor: Today is the feast day of St. Michael and All Angels.

Sammy: Ooo! What’s that?

Pastor: It’s a special day during our church year where we honor St. Michael the
Archangel and all of the angels of the Bible.

Sammy: Angels have names?

Pastor: Yes, and they have special jobs.

Sammy: What’s Michael’s job?

Pastor: Michael is a warrior. He goes to battle at the command of God, and he
fights armies we cannot see.

Sammy: Woah. You mean there was a battle going on in the Bible that people
couldn’t see?

Pastor: Yes—there are even battles today that we cannot see. Spiritual warfare
happens and we may not even realize that Michael is fighting with the angels to
protect us from harm. God loves us so much, and he commands his angels to
protect believers.

Sammy: I love that even when I am sleeping, there is a whole army to protect me.

Pastor: Yes there is. Let’s pray. Can everyone please fold your hands and bow
your heads and repeat after me? Dear Jesus, thank you for your great love. Thank
you for angels like Michael. Thank you for protection from harm. We love you.
Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Scripture

Mark 9:30-37

Props: Egg Carton, labeled plastic eggs with disciple names

Script

Pastor: Good morning boys and girls! Welcome! Let’s say good morning to our friend Sammy and see if she is there. Ready? One, two, three: Good morning, Sammy!

Sammy: Good morning, everyone! I have a question: which one of the disciples is the most important? Jesus never answered the question? Can you all pick out the most important disciple from the boat?

[Give the eggs and egg carton to the children]

Pastor: This task is difficult. What do you think, Sammy?

Sammy: Pastor, Jesus was talking about children in the Gospel of Mark today! I heard him! May the answer is to think about the children!

Pastor: Yes, Sammy. Jesus took a little child in his arms and he said, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”

Sammy: Oooo! What does that mean?

Pastor: Well, I want to see what the boys and girls think. Why do you think Jesus says this about children? Why is it important to love and welcome children? 

[Allow time for responses]

Pastor: Jesus was teaching his disciples that they need to serve one another in love. Children need so much from their families when they are babies and toddlers. They need a lot of help to eat and play. Parents have to constantly serve their children when they are little. Jesus wants us to serve each other, too.

Sammy: I like that. We need to serve one another in love.

Pastor: That’s right, Sammy!

Sammy: I love that Jesus refocuses us and his disciples on welcoming and loving children. And since we are all God’s children, that means we need to treat each other with love.

Pastor: That’s hard to do sometimes, isn’t it?
Sammy: Yes, I think so. But with Jesus’s help, we can do all things.

Pastor: That’s right, Sammy. Let’s pray: Can everyone please fold your hands and bow your heads? Dear Jesus, thank you for calling us to serve each other in love. Help us to love others as you first loved us. We love you. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

Pastor: Bye, Sammy!

“Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit” (Matthew 12:33).

There is a difference between people who do good and people who do evil. In this age it may be a little more difficult to see, but there is a difference. Ultimately, one will either follow and serve the Lord, or else, follow and serve themselves. If curved inward to the self, the behavior will bear fruit that shows this. If outward toward the Lord, the evidence will display that. The Lord is telling us something that is very much only common sense.

Lord, there is evil in me, who only wants to do good. I look around and I see folk with what at first seems a mixture of fruit. Let me not judge myself by them, but by You alone. Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to humbly walk with You always. Graft me into to You fully so that all that I need is drawn from You. Only You can infuse the good life into any of us which comes through Your grace and mercy alone.

Lord Jesus, You know all that I need. You know where I am deficient and where what is good in the Father’s eyes is growing. Help me to be pliable in Your hands and to resist what is evil. By the means You choose, grant me fortitude to stay the course. Guide me to have a heart that looks to You as the author and source of my being and lead me according to Your design, resisting all influences that are not in accord with the Father’s will. Amen

“Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matthew 12:31-32).

You are either with the Lord or you are not. Do not ignore the Holy Spirit within you and then expect to be a part of the kingdom. We are not soloists with knowledge but members of the church of God. Yes, we sin and sometimes get pushy. There is no excuse for this. Each of us must come to the place where we realize that we are not alone but dependent upon the Lord for all things. Be guided by the Lord and His goodness so that You may walk in the everlasting and faithful way.

Lord, I confess that I do not fully understand what this means. I believe You are telling me that I must walk under Your direction. You give me grace so that when I am pushy, or even belligerent, You offer forgiveness, but there is a line that should never be crossed. Teach me where that line is and help me to listen to the Holy Spirit so that I never come close to that line. Guard me against apostasy.

Lord Jesus, I need Your help every day. Guard my lips so that I do not speak what will bring harm to Your kingdom. Holy Spirit, open my ears to hear Your directions, for faith comes by hearing. Lord, guide me in all my ways so that I may humbly walk with You, who is and must be the author and finisher of my faith. Keep me close to You always so that I may not cross any line which would imperil others or me because of my actions. Amen.

“Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property, without first tying up the strong man? Then indeed the house can be plundered. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Matthew 12:29-30).

Jesus makes clear that we are in a battle in this age. It is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and forces of darkness. The wicked one is bound by Jesus. That is why we read of the Apostles casting out demons and healing. In your house, is Jesus your strong man? You cannot be, for we are weak, but He has already overcome. If you are with Jesus, you shall not be overcome, for He is your strength.

Lord, like a small child, I sometimes push Your hand away and believe I can do it on my own. Guide me to live trusting and depending upon You for all things. Help to not lean on my own understanding, but to abide with You and walk in Your ways. Lead me, O Lord, so that I may now and always walk with You. Yes, there is hostility and a war that is constantly going on. Help me to stay focused upon the hope only You give.

Lord Jesus, without You I can do nothing. Lead me in Your goodness and mercy to humbly walk with You always. Guide me this day so that I may see where I am tempted to leave the path You have set me upon. Continue to teach me how to stand firm in the truth of Your presence. Help me to not rely upon myself, but to always lean upon Your everlasting arms for all things. Guide me now and always in the everlasting way of life. Amen

“But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you” (Matthew 12:28).

If it is by God’s Spirit, then the kingdom of God is with You. Why do we say, “The Lord be with You?” We say this because without the Lord, we can do nothing. I can do nothing. If the Holy Spirit directs you to cast out demons, then speak as directed, for the demons know who has all power and authority. The kingdom of God begins with you knowing by faith that He is present and that all power and authority belong to Him.

Lord, there is a spiritual battle raging around me. Our contemporary culture makes fun of all of this and calls it superstition. Help me to neither be afraid, nor indifferent, but engaged with You. No matter what happens, help me stay connected with the Lord and walk the narrow path. The kingdom of God is within all who believe. Our Lord has promised to be with us always, and never leave nor forsake us.

Lord Jesus, these things are real because You are talk about them. Help me to not focus upon the evil in this world, but upon You who has conquered all evil from the cross. The wicked one has no power over me, but so many believe His lies. Help me to know that You are Truth, and he is a liar. Keep me on the narrow path of following You without fear. Guide me today in the way I should go and grant me a willing heart to do what You ask. Amen.

“If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?  If I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own exorcists cast them out? Therefor they will be your judges” (Matthew 12:26-27).  

Make no mistake, Satan is united in one thing, and that is hatred.  Wherever, and however he can spread the seeds of hatred, you see his work.  It is everywhere in this age.  Jealousy, coveting, and dissatisfaction abound.  Reject the devil and all his empty promises.  Our Lord is One, and He alone has all power and authority.  Be guided by Him and live in the grace He gives.  Do not be divided, but united in Him.  Lord Jesus, You have prayed that we would be one.  Wherever there is disunity, the wicked one is at work.  Lead me in Your goodness and mercy to know that in You alone is unity.  Where there is disunity in my life, slay it.  Where there is discord in me, humble me to love others as You have loved me.  Teach me to be a peacemaker.  Guide me to follow You in all Your ways. 

Help me, Lord Jesus, to live the Gospel of truth today.  Where I am tempted to sin, point my eyes in the right direction.  My mind races, but all truth is in You.  Help me to understand that true life is in You alone.  The world is divided, but the church is one.  Help me to move from living as the world lives to living in the unity of Your presence and purpose in my life. 

Lord Jesus, You have so clearly laid out the truth that I often run in the opposite direction.  Guide me, Lord, to live faithfully according to the goodness of Your grace and mercy.  Help me to be a peacemaker, being humble and willing to walk in peace with those whom You bring into my life.  Be the One who leads me, and with Your Holy Spirit, send me into the world as a peacemaker for Your sake.  Amen.

“He knew what they were thinking and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand” (Matthew 12:25).  

The wicked one divides, and the Lord unites.  See the big picture and you will see that where there is division, there is evil.  Where there is unity in peace there is the presence of the Holy Spirit.  God is love and He establishes relationship in love.  Whether it is your family, the congregation, your community, the nation, or the world, if it is divided, it will not stand. 

Lord, where my attitude is one of standing my ground in order to divide, restrain me.  Teach me how to love.  “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, love never fails.”  Love is not just emotional, but cares for the other so much that it always seeks for the right thing to do.  Lord, You are love and You are in me.  Let me not divide but be filled completely with You in order to live out Your love. 

Lord Jesus, I am under constant attack by the world, flesh and devil seeking to divide my loyalty to You.  Or is it just me?  Lord, I must decrease, and You must be my all-in-all.  Guide me, Lord, so that I may humbly walk wherever You lead me.  Help me to understand that only in You is there hope and a future.  All power is Yours alone.  Guide me in the truth of Your love and power so that I may live out Your love today.  Amen.