O Is For Observe to Do It! ABC: Deuteronomy for Me! Raising a Caleb Kid in a Disrupted World
Little Kids: Ages 4-7
O Is for Observe to Do It!
O is for Observe to do it,
yes, carefully obey,
O is for observe to do it,
heed God's word today.
Swerve not left,
nor swerve not right,
but serve the Lord
with all your might! Do it!
Add motions: Make a finger "O," wag finger, put hands together for "Bible," bend left, bend right, and and raise voice at end.
Say It: An O Verse to Rehearse
After Moses died, the Lord told Joshua to tell the Israelites to get ready to cross over the Jordan into the Promised Land. God told them not to be scared, for he'd go with them. God said: "Be thou strong and very courageous, that thou ... observe to do according to all the law, ... and turn not from it to the right hand, or to the left ...." Joshua 1:7
Note: The words "observe to do" means "Be careful or be watchful to do it!" Do what? Obey God's words or law. Point out also that this verse is found in Joshua, the book right after Deuteronomy. Help children to mark it in their Bible and write it in their journal too!
Sing It: "Be Careful to Obey" (Tune: "Be Careful Little Hands")
Be careful to obey, yes do it.
Be careful to obey, yes do it.
Be careful to obey
God's words throughout the day,
Be careful to obey, yes do it!
(Yell!) Observe to do it!
Make-It: The Observe to Do It Tube
Prep: one towel tube, tissue or other paper, tape, pipe cleaner (optional), small letters, glue ...
Make: Wrap tube in tissue paper. Tuck in ends. Tape side. Cut out small letters for "Observe to do it!" Put pipe cleaner across tube; tuck in ends. Place letters behind pipe cleaner; if you wish them to be secure tape or glue them in place.
Move: Move tube while singing; hold tube high at end.
Hear It: Don't Turn Aside! Follow the Lord!
Joshua, son of Nun, was a good friend of Caleb. The Bible says that Joshua, like Caleb, was someone who stayed on the right path throughout his life. He helped Moses. He became the leader once Moses died. He followed God's ways. He observed to do right and fully followed the Lord. God was pleased with him.
When it was time to go into the good land, Joshua told the people to stay strong and brave. He told them to observe to do or carefully to do all that the Lord commanded. He told them to stay on the right path not turning or going off of it. If they did, they would do well and have good success!
Make-It: "Observe to Do It" O Verse Ring (1st.2nd.)
Prep: six uppercase O cutouts apx. 4" high; a Bible cutout apx. 4 1/2" in length; printed "Observe to Do It strip, O.T.D. I. Verse;" and Joshua 1:7 verse strip as above; scissors; and glue.
Make: Run off six O letters; cut out. Color Bible. Run off Bible; cut out. Cut apart phrase, and Joshua verse strip; and glue to six O cutouts. Find O outline images here: https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=wz6Z9bch&id=AF6AACB01ECD45762B99E5F404E0CC7B54BFE834&thid=OIP.wz6Z9bchepfLg7fuBePp1QHaHa&mediaurl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.clipartbest.com%2fcliparts%2fdTr%2foGx%2fdTroGxaT9.jpeg&exph=900&expw=900&q=o+outline+preschool+letter+images&simid=607992783133674502&ck=786334B09ACD4B012E8A6DE2A71DEF1F&selectedIndex=13&FORM=IRPRST&ajaxhist=0
Move: Place Bible figure in center. Make O ring circle with six O pieces: one on top, two to the right, one on bottom, and two to the left. See picture at bottom! On top: place O with "Observe to Do It" To right of Bible place two O cutouts--one "Only be ... strong and very" and other "courageous, that thou". In the space below Bible place O with "observe to do according to" and to left two O cutouts saying: "according to all the law ..." "and turn not from it"; and final O that reads: "to the right hand" or "to the left." See sample at end!!
Read: Begin at the top to read verse and move clockwise around the O ring reading the top and bottom of each one in sequence.
Note: Bible image used in the sample is from my book Celebrate the Bible. Other Bible images like it can be viewed here: https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=saysfPxb&id=38666DAD950BF1C28DB7F07658A544759227631A&thid=OIP.saysfPxblqNiKNg-d7Iy3AHaFu&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fwww.bestcoloringpagesforkids.com%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2013%2f06%2fFree-Bible-Coloring-Pages.jpg&exph=1275&expw=1650&q=coloring+book+page+images+of+the+bible+for+kids&simid=608026167832740713&ck=49494AFBD4878F5F2117687E451A3E1E&selectedIndex=0&FORM=IRPRST&ajaxhist=0
Think About It: Obey, Stay on the Right Path!
Joshua 1:7 says to to stay on the right path; don't turn aside to something else. Do you remember how God told the people in his great voice to obey the commandments he gave near the mountain? Do you remember what the people said, "We will hear it, and do it!" Did they keep their promise? No, not at all. Moses went up on the mountain. The people got tired. Soon they forgot their promise and forgot to obey--they turned aside. The begged Aaron to make them an idol. Aaron did and soon the made a gold cow. The people worshipped and bowed to it. Oh, how sad!
Do kids turn aside today? grown ups? Yes! They read the Bible. It tells them what to do. But, they forget. They go astray. They go their own way. That makes God sad! They hear what their dad and mom say, and they promise to obey. They say, "I promise." Then they forget. They go astray. They go their own way. And God is sad! How the Lord wants both children and adults instead to turn to him, and trust in the Lord Jesus as their Savior from sin.
Observe to Do It: O. T. D. I. Verse
O is for observe,
T is for to, D is for do,
I is for it.
You observe to do it!
Do what? Obey God today!
Remember It? The Tale of Peter Rabbit
There is an old story called The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. While it is a make believe story it has a lesson to teach us about "Observe to do" the right thing. Remember, Mrs. Rabbit told Peter and his sisters to stay away from Mr. McGregor's garden. Peter's sisters remembered. They stayed in the woods and picked blackberries. But not Peter. Right away he hopped off straight for Mr.. McGregor's garden. Do you recall the consequences?
I Remember It! Painting Chairs!
Mom was on the phone. I went out to the sun porch. There dad had left some paint, and some brushes. I was very little, but I knew I shouldn't touch this paint. For Mom had said, "Don't touch it!" However, I soon forgot Mom's warning. Tempted, I just had to try it. So I took a paint brush and began to paint some folding chairs that were nearby very white. To this day I remember what I did. For you see Scripture says, "Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right." (Prov. 11:21)
Learn It: Mary Jones and Her Bible
There's a wonderful book called Mary Jones and Her Bible. In it there's the story of girl who lived over two hundred years ago in Wales. She was poor and didn't have much money. And she didn't have a Bible either. How Mary wished for a Bible. She wished so much for one that she saved her money for six years to get one. When she had enough, she walked very far to get a Bible. Mary observed to do right, to stay on the right path even as a girl. Later, on when she had a Bible she did the same thing all the rest of her life. She didn't turn to other things. She became famous for all she did to get a Bible. In fact her love for God's word, and her actions made many men begin a special place in London called a Bible Society to give Bibles to people all over the world.
Read about Mary's story here: https://www.tbsbibles.org/page/yslp
Color It: The Word of God Colouring Book 14
Today The Trinitarian Bible Society of London, Grand Rapids, and other places features a color book called The Word of God. Find it here at the Lighthouse Trails store:https://www.lighthousetrails.com/scripture-coloring-puzzle-books-for-youth/458-the-word-of-god-coloring-book-14.html
The Word of God coloring book has a neat page using "Thy word is true." from Psalm 119:160. First, the page can be colored, and then the kids' Bibles pictured may be popped out as well as the word "true." Once your page has been colored and used, you can make a "Thy Word Is True" flag to move to a Bible song. See sample photos at end of lesson. Don't have a color book? Simply print verse with small outline letters, color, and use the same way.
Sing It: "True, True, Thy Word Is True!" (Tune: "Skip to My Lou")
True, true, thy word is true! (Three times!)
Yes, yes, thy word is true! Yea!
Move your flag, and sing the song! March too!
Older Kids: Ages 8-12
Hear It: Observe to Do It!
After the people had heard God's voice giving them the commandments, after the people had promised to hear and do what God said, and after they had returned to their tents God spoke to Moses once again. God told Moses he'd speak unto him all the commandments, statues, and judgments they were to do. God further instructed, "Ye shall observe to to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. (A note in my Bible says: not turn away from the line of obedience)."
In chapter six God once more repeated that they were to hear him, and "Observe to do it!" Observe to do what? All his statues and commandments. If they obeyed God said their lives would be long in the land he promised them, and that things would go well with them. In addition, the Lord reminded Moses if they were obedient they would "... increase mightily as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey." Deuteronomy 5:31-33, and Deuteronomy 6:1-3
Journal It: Joshua 1:8 An "Observe to Do It" Verse
Open your Bibles to Joshua chapter one. Joshua is just one book ahead of Deuteronomy. Remember Genesis through Deuteronomy; make up the Pentateuch--the first five books of the Bible. Joshua begins the second section of the OT--the history books.
Find verse eight, read it and highlight it. Write it in your journal. Notice this key verse is very much like what God had told Moses in Deuteronomy five and six.
Here is what God said: "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth: but thou meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." Joshua 1:8
Make It: The O.T.D.I. Verse
Prep: paper, crayons, colored pencils, scissors, envelope, or zipped bag.
Make: Have kids draw their own Bible; and carefully cut around it. On the Bible print: Joshua 1:8 and "O. T. D. I. Verse." Next, have them make an outline O. Use their best O for a pattern; trace eight O cutouts. Have kids print their verse onto seven of the O shapes. On one print: "Observe to Do It!" Store pieces in bag.
Play: Have kids compete, even against you if need be, to see who can assemble the verse in clockwise position around the Bible. Place verse pieces in front of child on table. On signal, put Bible in middle, begin with "Observe to Do it" on top, and arrange three O cutouts to right, one on bottom, and three to left. When finished sit up, and place hands on shoulders. Do this several times seeing who can get verse together the quickest, and who has the most points.
Learn About It: Meet Brother Andrew-- God's Smuggler
Just as Mary Jones loved God's word and followed it all her life, so after Andrew van der Bijl became a Christian he observed to do what the Lord wanted him to. In Mary's case a Bible Society was formed because of her love for the Lord and his Word. In Andrew's story the Open Door organization was founded because of his encounters smuggling Bibles around the world.
Who was Brother Andrew? During WWII Andrew helped the Dutch resistance. Later on, after receiving Jesus as his Savior his passion was to take Bibles into countries where believers couldn't obtain their own copy. He did this, at times, by driving a blue Volkswagen Beetle into certain countries sometimes having Bibles in plain sight. What a story of God's protection and blessing! Hear "Secret Smuggler" (a short video) here: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=God%27s+Smmugler+Brother+Andrew+video+for+kids&docid=608035917414468092&mid=B92A933A5AACA7A0EDFEB92A933A5AACA7A0EDFE&view=detail&FORM=VIRE
Find God's Smuggler, Brother Andrew's story here: https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Smuggler-Brother-Andrew/dp/0800796853
A footnote to this story is that a wonderful Dutch Christian man lived very close to us in Tennessee. His "klompen" or wooden shoes were kept by his door. He too, like Corrie ten Boom had hidden Jewish people in his home, and worked for the Dutch Resistance. Besides, he just happened to work with Brother Andrew. What a fine gentleman and Christian Mr. K. was!
Sing It: "Read Your Bible and Pray!" ("Happy Birthday!")
Read your Bible, and pray,
Read your Bible, and pray,
Observe to do it--
Get right to it!
Read your Bible, and pray!
Teachers, Parents, Grandparents, YOU!
For some great kids resources visit Trinitarian Bible Society, Grand Rapids, USA: https://us.tbsbibles.org/page/store
Under resources: https://www.tbsbibles.org/page/yslp Explore articles, color pages, and more.
Be sure and become familiar also with the Lighthouse Trails Store and its "Children's Corner." Click here: https://www.lighthousetrails.com/2051-for-childrenyouth
The goal of these lessons is give your child a knowledge of the Word that will prepare him or her to become a warrior for the Lord Jesus. May you daily saturate your child's life with scripture!
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