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Every lesson has a teacher guide and versions for preschool through 6th grade. Search by Bible passage, or filter by series, book or topic.

189 lessons

Saul Couldn’t Wait: God Is Never Late1 Samuel 13:1-15; 1 Samuel 13:19-22King Saul's army faced a huge Philistine army, and his soldiers were hiding and running away. Samuel had told Saul to wait seven days at Gilgal until he came to offer a sacrifice. Saul waited, but when Samuel hadn't come by the seventh day, Saul got scared and offered the sacrifice himself. Just as he finished, Samuel arrived! Because Saul didn't obey God, his kingdom would not last. God is never late. Patience means trusting His timing and waiting for Him.Old TestamentPatience

Kings and ProphetsGod Chooses David1 Samuel 16:1-13God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint a new king, and instead of the tall older brothers, God chose David, the youngest shepherd, because the LORD looks at the heart.Old TestamentHumility

With MusicKindness in a Song: David Plays the Harp for Saul1 Samuel 16:13-23; 1 Samuel 18:10-11; Ephesians 4:32King Saul was troubled and upset inside. God had chosen young David to be the next king, and God sent David to play the harp for Saul and help him feel better. David used God's gift to be kind, even to the king he would replace. God is kind to us, so we can be kind to others.Old TestamentKindness

Kings and ProphetsDavid and Goliath1 Samuel 17:1-51; 1 Samuel 16:1-13God saves His people by His own power, through the champion He chooses.Old TestamentFreeTrust

With Building BricksDavid and Goliath: Faith1 Samuel 17:32-51; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Genesis 3:15The giant Goliath dared Israel's army to fight him, and every soldier was afraid. But a young shepherd named David said, "I will fight him." David told King Saul, "The LORD saved me from the lion and the bear. He will save me from this giant too." David took no armor, only his sling and five smooth stones. He ran at Goliath in the name of the LORD. God guided one stone, and the giant fell. Faith means believing God and acting on it, because we know what He has already done.Old TestamentFaith

Kings and ProphetsDavid and Jonathan1 Samuel 18:1-4; 1 Samuel 19:1-7; 1 Samuel 20:1-42Jonathan, the king's son, became David's loyal friend, gave up his own claim to the throne, and protected David from King Saul, pointing to Jesus, the Friend who laid down His life for us.Old TestamentFriendship

Big Feelings: Taking Them to GodBig Feelings: Fear1 Samuel 21:10-22:1; Psalm 34:1-8; Psalm 56:3-4; Hebrews 2:14-15David had once beaten the giant Goliath. But when King Saul was trying to kill him, David ran to the enemy city of Gath, Goliath's hometown. When people there recognized him, David was very afraid. He pretended to be crazy so they would let him go, and God rescued him. Afterward, David wrote, "I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears." Fear is a big feeling we can take to God. When we're afraid, we can trust Him.Old TestamentTrust

David Spares Saul1 Samuel 24:1-22King Saul hunted David, but one day Saul walked right into the cave where David was hiding. David's men said, "This is your chance!" David could have hurt Saul, but he cut off only a corner of Saul's robe, and even that bothered him. David trusted God to make things right, so he chose self-control.Old TestamentSelf-control

David and Mephibosheth2 Samuel 9:1-13; 2 Samuel 4:4; 1 Samuel 20:14-17King David remembered his promise to his best friend Jonathan. He found Jonathan's son Mephibosheth, who couldn't walk, gave him back his family's land and invited him to eat at the king's table every day. God shows that same kindness to us, so we show kindness to others.Old TestamentKindness

You Are the Man: Nathan’s Story for King David2 Samuel 12:1-13; 2 Samuel 11:1-27; Psalm 51:1-12; 1 John 1:9King David did terrible things. He took another man's wife, Bathsheba, and had her husband, Uriah, killed in battle. Then he tried to hide it. But God saw, and He sent the prophet Nathan to David with a story about a rich man who stole a poor man's only lamb. David was furious – "The man who did this deserves to die!" Nathan said, "You are that man!" David stopped hiding. "I have sinned against the LORD," he said. And Nathan answered, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You will not die." Repentance means agreeing with God about our sin and turning back to Him, because He is ready to forgive.Old TestamentRepentance

Kings and ProphetsSolomon Asks for Wisdom1 Kings 3:1-28When God told young King Solomon to ask for anything, Solomon asked for wisdom to lead God's people, and God gave him wisdom and much more.Old TestamentWisdom

With Building BricksSolomon Builds the Temple1 Kings 5:1-8:66; 2 Chronicles 3:1-7:3; John 2:19-21King Solomon built a beautiful temple for God, and God filled it with His glory. But even Solomon knew no building could hold God. God came to live with His people, and in Jesus He came closer than ever. So we worship Him.Old TestamentWorship

Elijah and the Widow1 Kings 17:1-16; Luke 4:25-26During a long drought, God fed Elijah with ravens by a brook. When the brook dried up, God sent him to a poor widow with only a little flour and oil. She trusted God's promise, and her flour and oil never ran out. God takes care of people who trust Him.Old TestamentTrust

Kings and ProphetsElijah on Mount Carmel1 Kings 18:1-2; 1 Kings 18:17-39On Mount Carmel, Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal, and the LORD answered with fire from heaven, showing that He alone is the true God.Old TestamentWorship

The Armor of GodThe Armor of God: Praying at All Times1 Kings 18:1, 41-46; James 5:16-18; Ephesians 6:18-20; Luke 18:1For three and a half years there was no rain. God promised Elijah, "I will send rain." So Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel, bowed down and prayed. Seven times he sent his servant to look at the sea. Six times there was nothing. The seventh time, a tiny cloud rose, as small as a man's hand. Then the sky went black, and the rain poured down. God's armor is worn with prayer. We pray at all times, and we keep praying, because our Father hears us.Old TestamentPrayer

With Building BricksElijah on Mount Carmel: Courage1 Kings 18:17-39; Joshua 1:9; 1 Peter 3:18For three years there had been no rain in Israel, because the people had turned to worship a fake god named Baal. Elijah, God's prophet, stood alone on Mount Carmel against 450 prophets of Baal. "The God who answers by fire – He is God," he said. Baal's prophets shouted all day, and nothing happened. Then Elijah built an altar, soaked it with water three times until even the trench was full, and prayed a short prayer. Fire fell from heaven and burned it all up! Courage means doing what's right even when you're afraid, because God is with us.Old TestamentCourage

Elijah Hears the Gentle Whisper1 Kings 19:1-21After God sent fire on Mount Carmel, Queen Jezebel threatened Elijah, and he ran away, tired and afraid. He felt so hopeless that he wanted to give up. God sent an angel with food and let him rest. Then on Mount Horeb, God came to him, not in a wind, an earthquake or a fire, but in a gentle whisper. God gave Elijah new hope, new work and a new friend.Old TestamentHope

The Armor of GodThe Armor of God: The Belt of Truth1 Kings 22:1-40; Ephesians 6:10-14; John 14:6King Ahab wanted to go to war, and 400 prophets told him what he wanted to hear. Only Micaiah said, "I will speak whatever the LORD tells me," and he told the truth, even though it cost him. Ahab put on a disguise and his armor, but an arrow found the gap. The first piece of God's armor is the belt of truth. God's truth holds everything together and keeps us safe.Old TestamentHonesty

Fruit of the SpiritFruit of the Spirit: Faithfulness2 Kings 2:1-14; 1 Kings 19:19-21; Lamentations 3:22-23; Luke 16:10On the day God was taking Elijah to heaven, Elijah told Elisha three times, "Stay here." Three times Elisha said, "I will not leave you." Other prophets watched from far away, but Elisha stayed close to the end. Faithfulness is a fruit of the Spirit. God is always faithful to us, so His Spirit helps us stay loyal to Him and to the people He gives us, day after day.Old TestamentFaithfulness

Elisha and the Widow’s Oil2 Kings 4:1-7A poor widow came to Elisha for help. Her husband had died, and a man she owed money to was coming to take her two sons away as slaves. All she had left was one small jar of oil. Elisha told her to borrow empty jars from her neighbors, lots of them, and pour. God made the oil keep flowing until every jar was full. She sold the oil, paid what she owed and kept her sons. We can trust God with what we need.Old TestamentTrust

Kings and ProphetsNaaman Is Healed2 Kings 5:1-19Naaman, a proud army commander with a serious skin disease, was healed when he humbly obeyed God and washed seven times in the muddy Jordan River.Old TestamentHumility

Elisha and the Chariots of Fire2 Kings 6:8-23The king of Aram sent a huge army to capture Elisha. In the morning, Elisha's servant saw soldiers all around the city and was terrified. Elisha said, "Don't be afraid! Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." God opened the servant's eyes, and the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire. God is with us, so we can be brave.Old TestamentCourage

The Armor of GodThe Armor of God: Shoes of Peace2 Kings 7:3-16; Ephesians 6:15; Isaiah 52:7; Romans 10:13-15When the city of Samaria was starving, four men with a sickness that kept them outside the city found the enemy camp empty and full of food. God had made the army run away. At first they kept it to themselves. Then they said, "This is a day of good news, and we are keeping it to ourselves!" and ran to tell the city. The shoes of peace mean we stand on the good news of Jesus and are ready to share it.Old TestamentSharing Jesus

Joash, the Boy Who Became King2 Kings 11:1-12:16; 2 Kings 8:19; 2 Samuel 7:16; Luke 1:32-33God promised King David that a king from his family would rule forever. When wicked Queen Athaliah tried to destroy the whole royal family, Jehosheba rescued baby Joash and hid him in the house of the LORD for six years. Then Jehoiada the priest brought the seven-year-old out, crowned him, and the people shouted, "Long live the king!" Joash did what was right while Jehoiada taught him, and he repaired God's temple. Faithfulness means staying true to God, and we can trust Him because He always keeps His promises, even when people don't.Old TestamentFaithfulness