Firm in the Faith

Our surroundings can strengthen or weaken our faith.

I Corinthians 15:33 “Do not be deceived: Evil company corrupts good habits.”


I Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm.
Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”


Hebrews 10:25 “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encourage one another…”


Ephesians 6:10 “…be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.”

• Paper and pen or pencil
• Aluminum pie pan
• Water
• Cornstarch

1. Whatever and whoever we surround ourselves with will impact us either for good or bad. God has called us to be strong in Him. (Ephesians 6:10) Satan wants to influence us, not because he loves us like God does, but because he hates God. Satan wants to keep us from God. We need to be careful of the kind of friends we choose and with whom we spend time. When our CLOSEST friends also love Jesus, their influence helps keep us strong. When we move away from those friends and their Godly influence, we become spiritually weak. That’s why it’s important to go to church and spend time with friends who also attend church and believe in Jesus. (Hebrews 10:25)

Ask the following questions:

Can you think of a time when someone influenced you to do something either good or bad?

Has anyone ever asked you to tell a lie? What if it was your very best friend? It’s not easy to say no to someone who has become a very good friend.

Would a good friend who also knows lying is wrong, ask you to lie? It’s not nearly as likely.

If you stayed up late on the night before church and you really wanted to sleep in, which person would make skipping church harder to do? The friend who also goes to church and wants you to come, too, or a friend who never goes to church and is also sleeping in? The one who wants you to go to church, too.

Can you think of other examples of a friend who keeps you strong and firm in making good choices? What about a friend who has made it hard for you to stand firm?

2. ACTIVITY: Part 1 - On your paper, make a list of things friends do to keep us strong and firm in Jesus. Make a second list of things that make us weak spiritually and move us away from a Godly life. (Parents of younger children may want to do this ahead of time or do the writing themselves.)

Example

Let’s go to church today.	Let’s skip church and play videos instead.
Let’s do our homework together.	I forgot to do my homework. Can I copy yours?
____________________________	____________________________
____________________________	____________________________

Part 2 - On the fingertips of one hand, draw the faces of five Christian friends. On

On the fingertips of one hand, draw the faces of five Christian friends. On

the fingertips of the other hand draw symbols of the faith like the Bible, Holy Spirit (dove), church and cross. Discuss the positive influence their Christian friends have on their lives. Then discuss the influence of church, the Bible, etc.

Part 3 - Fill the container with approximately ¼ cup of water and ¾ cup of cornstarch (or a 1:3 to 1:4 ratio). Mix. Mixture should be fairly thick. Have each person take turns reaching into the container, grabbing a handful of "glob", and squeezing it tightly in his or her fist. Roll the "glob" into a ball and move it back and forth between your fingers. "Godly friends" and "things of God" are holding you firm. Stop rolling and moving the glob; release your grip and just let the mixture sit in your hands. Watch to see what happens. It will immediately begin to turn to its liquid form and become runny. Let children experiment with trying to keep it firm without holding it tightly or applying pressure. Allow time for children to enjoy the sensory experience and play as well.

3. How is this experiment like what we just talked about with friends? Our friends and things of God keep us strong. We take on the shape and remain firm in what we’re around.

We need to surround ourselves with God’s Word and God’s people to stay strong. If we surround ourselves with those who don’t love God we will grow weak in God and firm and "hardened" in things that are opposed to God.

Choosing wrong friends makes me weak,
I become strong when God I seek.


- or -


When choosing the wrong friends makes you squirm,
Choosing things of God will keep you firm.