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 teve Jobs famously ends many of his speeches by saying, "Oh, and one more thing," at which point he shares one the most important messages he's shared up to that point. So today I'd like to share with you just "one more thing" before we leave our study of Israel together and that's this: I hope you'll make every effort to share what you've learned from God with the children God has put in your life. It may be the most important thing I've shared with you all year. One More Thingby Eric Elder Steve Jobs famously ends many of his speeches by saying, "Oh, and one more thing," at which point he shares one the most important messages he's shared up to that point. So today I'd like to share with you just "one more thing" before we leave our study of Israel together and that's this: I hope you'll make every effort to share what you've learned from God with the children God has put in your life. Whether those kids are your own, your grandkids, your great-grandkids, your nieces or nephews, kids in your neighborhood, kids at church, or kids at school, God would love it if you would share with them what you've learned about Him. As Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" (Matthew 19:14). Howard Hendricks, an eighty-six year old seminary professor and the former chaplain for the Dallas Cowboys, tells the story of how a Sunday School teacher once started a game of marbles with a group of boys he found in the street one day. He made friends with them, brought them to his Sunday School class, and taught them everything he knew about God. He picked up thirteen boys in the street that day, and all of them eventually put their faith in Christ, and twelve of them eventually went into full-time Christina ministry, sharing everything they had learned about Jesus with others. Howard Hendricks says he knows this story is true because he was one of those thirteen boys whose life was forever changed that day that a man sat down to share about Jesus with him. One of the most important tenets of Judaism is for one generation to pass on what they've learned about God to the next. It's so important to the Jewish people that Jews today still post the words from the Bible found in Deuteronomy 6 on the doorframes of their homes, words that say, in part: "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ... Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates" (Deuteronomy 6:6-7,9).Jews will write these words on a piece of paper, called a "mezuzah" (which means "door posts"), then roll them up and put them in holders on the doorframes of their homes or businesses. You may have seen them if you've ever visited a Jewish home, and you'll find them on the doorframes all over Israel. They're a constant reminder to pass on what they've learned about God to others. In my own life, I've tried to share with my own kids what I've learned about God so that they can learn it, too. Before we went to Israel, I began sharing with my own kids at breakfast each morning what I was learning about the sites we were going to see. When we returned from the trip, I began writing this series of devotionals on Israel, for you and for them, to re-experience what we had learned together, and to explore how it could impact all of us spiritually and practically. Even our youngest kids got interested in what we were learning. While the youngest ones didn't go with us, they've drawn pictures and made up word games and puzzles about what they've learned. I thought you might want to see some of their creations, so I've put them into a book called "Israel For Kids," which you can use to share about God with the kids He may have put into your own life, to help them learn more about Him, too. The book includes the same 30 questions that you and I have just looked at over the past 30 weeks, such as "What happened in Bethlehem?" "What happened in Nazareth?" "What happened on Mount Moriah?" and so on, and each question is followed by an easy-to-read, 3-4 sentence summary of what happened in each place. The book also includes 30 activities just for kids to make it fun, from word searches, mazes, and coloring pages, to word scrambles, connect-the-dots, and coded phrases. Of course, you don't need my books, or any book other than the Bible, to share about God with kids. You can just take out a Bible and start reading it to them, stopping along the way to talk about it together, whether it's at breakfast, lunch, dinner, or bedtime, or as it says in the Bible, "when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." I'm sure it's also fine whenever you drive a car, or ride a bus, or work in a field, or anytime you can get together and talk about it! If this sounds like a sales pitch, it is! But not for books and DVD's. It's a sales pitch to sell you on the idea of doing what Deuteronomy 6 says to do, to talk about your faith with those around you, especially with those in the next generation. My books are simply tools to make it as easy, interesting, and as fun as possible. I've included some links below for all of our materials on Israel, including the children's book, the devotionals, the thirty 1-2 minute videos we recorded live on location in Israel, and the pictorial devotional book with over 300 pictures to go with the devotions and sites mentioned within it. Each of these resources are available for simply a donation to our ministry to help us continue producing more resources like this on the Internet and in print. I pray that God will give you the wisdom, resources, energy and encouragement to share whatever you've learned about Him with those He's put in your lives. I pray that He will help you to think through some of the people He has put in your life and with whom He might want you to share. And I pray that His Holy Spirit will help you to follow through with it. Thanks for reading this "one more thing." It is perhaps the most important message I've shared with you all year. Let's pray... Father, thank You for teaching us so much about You. Help us as we consider how to share what we've learned about You with others. And help us to do it in a way that will make an impact for all of eternity. In Jesus' name, Amen.Here are the links to request a copy of any of our resources on Israel, described below: "Israel: Lessons from the Holy Land" - Thirty devotionals to help bring the Bible to life. Contains over 300 stunningly beautiful photographs from all the sites mentioned in the book. Available in black-and-white paperback for a donation of ANY size. Available in full-color paperback for a higher suggested donation to cover the higher cost of color printing, but it's worth it! (8"x10", 190 pages). (You can also request a downloadable PDF file of this book for your computer, book reader, or any device that can read a PDF file for a donation of ANY size). "Israel For Kids Activity Book! 30 Lessons And Activities For Kids" - Thirty questions and answers about famous sites mentioned in the Bible, plus thirty activities to make it fun and interesting for kids, from word searches, mazes, and coloring pages, to word scrambles, connect-the-dots, and coded phrases. Available in paperback for a donation of ANY size (8"x8", 66 pages). "Israel Videos: Lessons from the Holy Land" - Thirty 1-2 minute videos from the land where Jesus walked, filmed on location at each of the sites mentioned in the books. This is an optional companion DVD to go along with the books, and features additional pictures from the Holy Land, and 20 minutes of beautiful piano music. Available in DVD for a higher donation to help cover the cost of reproduction and shipping (NTSC-formatted disc). Today's Scripture: Deuteronomy 6 To read more from this series, "Israel: Lessons from the Holy Land," please visit: To get more inspiring books or music like this, click here: To subscribe to, or unsubscribe from, this newsletter, click here: |
