4MG.org

Welcome to 4MG 2021!!

I think everyone can agree, the past year was… unpredictable. There has been lots of strife, lots of turmoil and many people have experienced loss. It is our hope that 2021 will see everything return to normal, but in the meantime, we could use some help. Who better to turn to than God?

God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and He loves us. If we turn to him when we are scared, or sad, or lonely, He can help. Our theme this year is based on something the Bible calls the Armor of God. And because the world is crazy right now, we could use his protection on a daily basis—so we are going to learn how to put on this armor as part of our daily routine—a way to “wake up with Jesus” or at least, to remind ourselves that He is with us every single day.

In this package is a coloring book and some colored pencils. How can that be part of the Armor of God? Technically, they’re not. But what they are, is a way to help you de-stress, to calm down and focus. A simple mindful meditation, if you will, so that you can get yourself into a “listening” state of mind.

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth.”

– Psalm 46:10

So, be still and color in your books, and we will start with a little story so that you have some background. Because, you see, this isn’t the first time the world has been a little crazy, and we are certainly not the first people who could use a little strength and guidance.

Many, many people turn to God for strength and guidance. How do they do that? Where would you look for God’s guidance?

The Bible is a collection of many books, and it is broken into two main sections, called Testaments. The Old Testament is filled with stories of God’s people, their history, and stories about the history of the earth itself and people on the earth. The other section, the New Testament, tells stories about Jesus, his life and teachings. It is this New Testament, and the belief of salvation in Christ that makes us Christians. 

After Jesus was revealed as the Messiah, the people he had taught and who had learned about him, went out into the world to spread the message that God loves us and that we can all go to Heaven—not just people of a certain class, or people who prayed the right prayers at certain times, or people who could afford fancy sacrifices and feasts in to honor God. The people who set out to tell the world about Christ were called apostles. They travelled all over, preaching about God’s love and helping people to establish churches where they could learn and grow in their faith together.

Paul was an early apostle of Jesus and he traveled around preaching the Word of God. And while many people were excited to learn about Jesus and become Christians, many other people were hostile. Why? Because they worshipped other gods – the Roman gods you may have learned about in school. And because the Romans ruled that part of the world, it was actually illegal to worship any gods except the Roman gods. Because of this, Paul was put in jail several times. While in prison, Paul wrote letters of encouragement to the many Christian churches he had started. 

One of the books of the Bible, called Ephesians, is a collection of letters that the apostle Paul wrote to the people who lived in a region called Ephesus. Paul was writing to encourage them and to remind them to lean on God during their hardships.

What were their hardships? While we don’t know exactly, we do know that the town of Ephesus had a large temple to the Roman goddess Artemis, and that many people in the town were angry and resentful of the new Christians. Paul had founded and led the Christian group in Ephesus, so he was well aware of the challenges the Ephesians faced. It is not easy to change your way of life to accommodate new beliefs, but it is much harder if your friends and neighbors, and even your town leaders, are against you.

And just as he was there for the Ephesians, God will be there for us. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?

“Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” – Ephesians 6:10-18

This Armor is composed of several “pieces” that together help us understand the complete protection God offers his people. These pieces include a helmet, a breastplate, a belt or “girdle,” sandals, a shield and a sword.

Over the next few months we will discuss each aspect and how we can apply in our daily lives.