No Whining

Read God’s Word

1. Spend time reading Jonah 1, 3 & 4 with your family.

 

Explain God’s Word

2. Read Jonah 1 then answer these questions;
   1. Who is Jonah? (v. 1)
   2. What did God ask Jonah to do the first time? (v. 2)
   3. How did Jonah respond to God’s plan the first time? (v. 3)
   4. What happened when Jonah did not do what God asked him to? (v.17)
3. Read Jonah 3 then answer these questions;
   1. What did God ask Jonah to do the second time? (v. 2)
   2. What happened in Nineveh when Jonah obeyed God? (vv. 6-10)
   3. Did Jonah do what God asked? (vv. 3-5)

4. Read Jonah 4, then answer these questions;
   1. How did Jonah feel about what God had asked him to do? (v. 1)
   2. What did Jonah want to happen to the Ninevites? (vv. 2,3)
   3. How did God show Jonah that his plans for the Ninevites were best? (vv. 5-10).
   4. What does this story tell us about God’s character? (vv. 4:2b)

 

Show God’s Word

5. Have you ever been asked to do something you really didn’t want to do? (Like clean your room, take out the garbage, put groceries away?). Did you do what was asked of you joyfully? Or did you complain or whine?

 

6. Even though Jonah did what God asked him to do, Jonah still believed his plan was better and he complained to God. Whining says, “I know better, my ways and plans are better than your ways and plans”. This is pride. Read Isaiah 55:8-9. What does God’s Word say about His ways and plans?

 

Apply God’s Word

7. What can you do when you are tempted to whine, grumble and complain? (Hint: pray, read the Bible, spend time thanking God for His goodness to you)

 

8. When we know who God is, we can trust that His plans are best. Read the following Scriptures. What do they say about God and why we should trust Him?
   • Psalm 36:9
   • Proverbs 2:6
   • Isaiah 46:9-10
   • Ephesians 2:10

 

9. One way we can grow in our thankfulness of God is to spend time with God in prayer and in reading His Word. Use the Grow Up In Christ planner and schedule the time you need to spend time with Jesus. Remember- as you get close to Him, He will get close to you and give you the strength you need to live faithfully! Share your plan with your family, friends, and the Hope Kids team (hkids@hopeottawa.ca)

 

10. Make it your goal this week to memorize Philippians 2:14 to help you remember to respond to God, your parents, caregivers, teachers, and others without grumbling or questioning “Do all things without grumbling or disputing,”

 

11. God’s plans for us are always the best. His greatest plan for us saves us from death. God made a way for us to be saved from death when God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ to come to earth and die for our sins, so we can be saved and have a personal relationship with Him. Through Jesus, we can approach God with confidence in prayer, when we are His disciples. To be a disciple of God, we must give up our lives and become like Him! How can we do this? We first must repent of our sin and believe in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. When we do this, we put our faith in Him. If you want to begin a personal relationship with Him, and put your faith in Him alone, all you need to do is;

• A_______  (Admit) that you have done wrong and ask God to forgive you for disobeying Him.
• B_______ (Believe) that God sent Jesus to take the punishment for your sin. Trust that you are forgiven because Jesus made you right with God.
• C______ (Choose) to spend your whole life depending on God’s power to help you say no to sin, and to worship God only. Rely on God to help you tell others that God is your leader and the most important person in your life.