/TopzJA12

H e l lo ! ! !

IN THIS .

TOPZ ..

Phew! Excuse me for a moment, I’m just getting my breath back after a 26 mile marathon.

Just let me ... (groan) ... hang on ... (huff, puff) ... ah, that’s better. I’ve found the remote and turned the TV off now. Those runners really are something else! Just watching them keeping going for so long makes me feel tired and weak at the knees!

To run a marathon you have to be super fit, which takes dedication, commitment, practice and perseverance. It also helps when you have other people cheering you on – and encouraging you to make it to the end. All the athletes and competitors taking part in the Olympics over the next few weeks will know exactly how this feels.

And in the same way, we can ‘get fit’ for Jesus: we can plan, train, keep focused, keep on going, cheer each other on and help each other out when we’re struggling. So if you too watch any of the sport and athletics that will be part of the Olympics this summer, see if you can think of ways in which being a Christian is like running a race or training as an athlete.

Right, I’m off for a jog round the block now – who knows, I may even be fit enough to run a marathon by 2016!

Wind Power Page 3 Keep Fit Page 14 Topz Swing into Action Page 23 Topz Bitz: Sizzling Summer Reads page 29

A New life for Jacob Page 30 Topz Ahoy!

Page 36

The New Boy Page 43 Nehemiah & Co: City repairers Page 49

Kipping at Kim’s Page 59 Together forever Page 64

COVER SPORTS ANSWER: 10 RELAY, HULA-HOOPING, STEEPLECHASE, SACK-RACE, JAVELIN, GYMNASTICS, TENNIS, POLE VAULT, LONG JUMP, SHOT PUT

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Topz Answerz & Topz Notes Order form Page 73

29/2/12 13:53:17

the bible books OLD TESTAMENT Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Songs Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah MicaH Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi

new TESTAMENT Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Revelation

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How to use It may be that some of you haven’t looked inside a Bible very much before. If so, here are a few helpful hints:

1: Each day in Topz there’s a Bible reading.

It’s shown like this:

Genesis

25 v 2–5

2: To find this, turn to the Contents page near the front of your Bible and look for the name of the book – which in the example above is Genesis.

Now find the page this book starts on and turn to it.

3: Y ou will have to turn on a few pages now to get to the right chapter.

4: Now look for the verse numbers which will be in smaller type.

The chapter and verse will look like this:

Chapter

Verse

5: A fter reading the Bible passage, go back to the Topz page and see what it says. Each day ends with a prayer and sometimes an action point too.

To solve the puzzles in Topz you will need a Good News Bible. If you don’t want to turn to the Contents page of your Bible all the time, you will see we’ve listed all the Bible books in order for you (see left). The ones you’ll be reading from in this Topz are highlighted with a star . Use this Topz Marker to keep your place in Topz. Cut it out and stick it to a piece of card to strengthen it.

27/2/12 16:44:49

WIND POWER!

Phew! What a wind!

Look at your hair!

Ha, ha, what a mess!

Jesus talked about the wind to explain what God’s Holy Spirit is like. He said, ‘The wind blows wherever it wishes; you hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. It is like that with everyone who is born of the Spirit’ (John 3 v 8). Just as the wind takes control of a kite, so the Holy Spirit can take control of us. Let’s see why ...

3

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27/2/12 16:44:50

SUNDAY

1ST JULY John

14 v 15–16

He helps us Who was your special guest in assembly yesterday, dear?

She had a helper with her who helped her to speak to us.

It was a deaf lady called Susan.

Susan spoke to her helper in sign language, and the helper translated for us.

Jesus talked about God sending ‘another Helper’ (v 16) to be with His followers. But why did they need ‘another Helper’ when they already had Jesus?

Read Dave’s answer in a mirror: ot kcab og ot dah suseJ esuaceB .rehtaF eht doG htiw eb ot nevaeh

4

Dear Father, thank You for sending us a Helper to be with us forever. Amen.

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Read Acts 2 v 1–4 to see what happened when God gave the Holy Spirit at (what is called) Pentecost.

27/2/12 16:44:57

He is God There’s a new boy who’s just moved in a few doors along from me.

I wish I could get to know him.

MONDAY

2ND JULY John

14 v 17

You mean Mark?

My cousin knows him – he’ll introduce you, if you like.

There is only one God, but He lives as three ‘people’! Your brain may hurt if you try to think about that, but it’s true! There is God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit.

Just as water, ice and steam are all different, but are all made of water, so these three ‘people’ are all different, but all God. When you become a Christian, the Holy Spirit comes and lives in your heart. Because He knows the Father and Jesus so well, He can help us to know Them.

Here’s one way the Holy Spirit does that:

READAROUND

He helps us unders t a and about what God d w n . o d o t u s s t n a o d G tuoba syas elbiB eht tahw

In your own words say thank You to God for giving us His Holy Spirit to help us to get to know Him better.

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5

27/2/12 16:45:02

TUESDAY

He teaches us

3RD JULY John

14 v 26

I wish I could understand this better.

Even brain boxes like Paul find the Bible hard to understand sometimes!

But Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will teach us. Here are some ways the Topz Gang feel the Holy Spirit has helped them and can help you.

START

START Sometimes to

explain things

He

He

other

people to

START

uses

me.

me.

Topz help

to uses

notes

Sometimes, after I’ve Spirit Holy the for prayed to help me, I read the verses understand can I then and again them better.

6

Thank You, Holy Spirit, for helping me to understand the Bible better. Help me to do what You teach me. Amen.

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Read Acts 8 v 26–35 to see how the Holy Spirit led Philip to help someone understand the Bible better.

27/2/12 16:45:08

p

Serving God

WEDNESDAY

4th JULY 1 Corinthians

12 v 4–11

Follow the lines to see what these members of the Topz Gang are naturally good at ...

What are you naturally good at?

The Holy Spirit can give us some other gifts like those in today’s reading. These are called spiritual gifts.

The Holy Spirit gives us these gifts.

God gives us these for two reasons. They’re mixed together here; see if you can unmuddle them ...

TO TO SERVE MAKE THE GOD CHURCH STRONG Write down the 1st, 3rd and 6th words to find the first reason.

Now, can you work out the other one with the words left over?

Thank You, Lord, for giving us the Holy Spirit, who gives us everything we need to help us to serve You. Amen.

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Read Romans 12 v 6–8 to find another list of spiritual gifts. Use your gifts whatever they are!

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27/2/12 16:45:13

THURSDAY

The right words

5th JULY John

15 v 26–27

That was a boring lesson! All that religious rubbish!

Who believes in God, anyway?!

I’m scared to tell him about Jesus.

He’s a bully!

Well, er ...

Here’s a message for you. Put the last pieces into the jigsaw:

8

Do you ever feel scared to tell others about Jesus?

Or just don’t know what to say?

Dear Father, when I have the chance to tell others about Jesus, I pray the Holy Spirit will help me to go for it! Amen.

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Read: Luke 21 v 13–15.

Whenever you need the right words to say, don’t forget to ask for the Holy Spirit to help you.

27/2/12 16:45:20

FRIDAY

Help to pray

6th JULY Romans

8 v 26–27

Let’s pray.

Dear Lord ...

Do you ever start thinking about other things when it’s prayer time?

Dave has another problem too.

Read his words in a mirror to see what it is: To find out who can help them with their problems, read these finger messages.

Follow the arrows.

START

Dear Lord, please help me when I pray. Thank You. Amen.

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Th

irit p eS

I wonder if Gruff’s OK.

I hope it’s chicken for dinner!

I nehw semitemoS wonk t’nod I ,yarp .yas ot tahw

ws o n ek w He d e an ar ak s e w elp h s u ay. to pr

Before you pray, ask for the Holy Spirit’s help to keep your mind on praying, and to help you to know what to say.

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27/2/12 16:45:25

SATURDAY

7th JULY Romans

8 v 12–16

Help to live Draw a picture of your family here.

Don’t forget to draw yourself in the picture!

Has anyone ever said something like this to you?

You’ve got your dad’s nose!

One way we know we are the children of our parents is by the things about us that are like them.

Today’s reading means that one way we know we are God’s children is if we are letting the Holy Spirit help us to be like Jesus, God’s Son. Follow the arrows to read one way that the Holy Spirit helps us become like Jesus: helps

10

He to

us

what

Thank You, Father, for giving me Your Spirit to make me like Jesus. Amen.

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do

wants God to

us do.

Just think: all Christians are your brothers and sisters.

27/2/12 16:45:31

SUNDAY

Help to love

8th JULY Romans

15 v 30

The Holy Spirit gives us love for others. Read Acts 2 v 43–47. The following words come from those verses. Cross them out of this wordsearch: FELLOWSHIP GLAD SHARED PRAISING HUMBLE SELL SAVED MONEY

F E L L O W S H I P G O L D S H O U L R Y S E Y E N O M P A S I S R I T M B A I

Now write out the left over letters here:

A K E S U S A L L S

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

E N T O A B I G F N

V L I S H A R E D I D A M I L Y D A L G

The first Christians loved each other just like a family. They shared what they had and sold what they owned to help the poorer Christians, and gave up their time to meet together.

Thank You, Father, for making me a part of Your family. Help me to love my brothers and sisters as You do. Amen.

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(Answers on page 73.)

If you find it hard to love another Christian with whom you don’t get on well, ask the Holy Spirit to give you His love for that person.

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27/2/12 16:45:36

MONDAY

9th JULY Galatians

5 v 22–23

1.

Help to change 2.

Come on, Gruff!

Sit - will you!

Yummy, another packet of biscuits.

3.

I’m better than anybody!

I’m bored, there’s nothing to do!

The Topz Gang need the help of the Holy Spirit to change them!

Look in today’s verses and write down what they need:

1.

John needs p_ _ _ _ _ _ _ to teach Gruff.

2. Benny needs s _ _ _ - c _ _ _ _ _ _ to stop eating

too many sweet things.

3. Danny needs h _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to stop boasting.

4.

Josie needs j _ _ to stop feeling fed up.

The Holy Spirit ‘grows’ these good things in our lives as we trust and obey Jesus.

12

Thank You, Lord, that the Holy Spirit is working in my life to change me. Amen.

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Think: do you need any of the things in today’s verses? Ask the Holy Spirit for them.

27/2/12 16:45:43

So, who’s in control?

Keep it, he won’t know.

No, give it back.

TUESDAY

10th JULY Galatians

5 v 24–26

What should John do? Part of him wants to keep the money, and part of him wants to give it back. What would you do?

Letting the Holy Spirit control our lives means learning to tell the difference between what He wants us to do, and what our human nature tells us to do.

Here are two things that together can help you obey God’s Holy Spirit.

One is on the dove’s wings, one on the tail and body:

Work out what

Ask yourself, ‘What

the Bible says.

would Jesus do?’

Remember: the Holy Spirit loves you, and is as gentle as a dove!

Lord, may Your Holy Spirit help me to let You guide and control my life every day. Amen.

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Have you a decision to make? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you make the right choice.

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