H e l lo ! ! ! Welcome to Topz 2013! This year starts with a difficult day for one of your Topz friends: Danny finds himself a bit up and down (literally!), but soon learns that God is there on the bad days as well as the good days. J As it’s the beginning of a whole new year it’s a good time to ask God to help you learn from the not so good things that happened last year, to build on and help you make the most of enjoying and remembering the good things that happened, and to be with you through the coming year in all that will happen. None of us can see into the future, but we do know that God knows everything about us and will help us and love us whether we’re happy or sad, grumpy or excited, up or down. That makes me feel I can start the year with a smile on my face and peace in my heart – knowing He will be with me every single day. And so will Topz – so hold on tight and let’s get this year off to a flying start ...
IN THIS . TOPZ .. A dA dAy wIT wITH H dANNy Ny PA P Age 3 rT STAr yeAr, New STA New yeA ge 9 PAge
THe gIANT T-SlAyer P ge 10 PA deAr TOP TOPZ Z ... P ge 23 PA SArAH IN A P PAN ANIIc! PAge 24 PA
BIBle le BeAS BeASTIe TI S! P ge 29 PA TOPZ BITZ: reAderS’ OwN cluB PAgeS PAge 35
dANg dAN germ ermAN! PA P Age 45 TOPZ B BITZ ITZ:: ITZ mOr mO re e 50S 50S fu uN! PAg PA ge e 58
‘I rely on your constant love; I will be glad, because you will rescue me. I will sing to you, O Lord, because you have been good to me.’ Psalm 13 v 5–6
reA Ad TH THe e SIg gNS! PA P Age 59
dOc dO cTO TOr r dAve dAve PA P Age 68 TOPZ OPZ A ANS NSwe werZ r & TOPZ TOPZ NOT OTe eS Order fO fOrm PA P Age 73
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
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.
Genesis
25 v 2–5
It’s shown like this:
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: You 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: After 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.
A dAy wITH dANNy It’s too cold to get out of bed!
I suppose I’ll have to get up!
Why the sudden change in Danny? Something has cheered him up! (Find out what it is tomorrow.) When the two Marys saw that Jesus had risen from the dead, their feelings changed too!
TUESDAY
1ST JANuA uAr uA Ary ry
Matthew 28 v 1–8
Come on, Danny. It’s the first day of a brand new year! Time to get up!
Cool!
de ear lord Jesus, thank you for those special things which happen sometimes to cheer me up when I am sad. Amen. 3
WEDNESDAY
ry Ary uAr uA 2Nd JANuA James
4 v 13–16
A dAy wITH dANNy
Great! Snow at last.
Whoops!
Danny has found out that no one knows for sure what’s going to happen next! Today’s reading says only God knows our future. What must you do, whenever you make plans (v 15)? 4
Snowball fights! Building snowmen, and ...
... not to mention slides!!
de ear lord Jesus, thank you that you promise to guide me if I trust in you. Please guide me throughout this year, and help me to know your will in all that I do. Amen.
THURSDAY
A dAy wITH dANNy Now my trousers are wet!
3rd JANuA uAr uA Ary ry Ecclesiastes
7 v 13–14
Oh no!
At least I shouldn’t get splashed this time!
It’s hard to be cheerful when things go wrong, but try to allow God to help you through, and teach you. He can bring some good things out of difficult times.
Thank you, lord rd Jesus, for things which I enjoy and also for things which are difficult. In all these things you help me. Amen. 5
FRIDAY
ry Ary uAr uA 4TH JANuA Matthew
11 v 28–30
A dAy wITH dANNy
Made it to school, at last!
For the first time ever ...
I’m glad to be at school!
6
School seemed a good place to be because Danny could get dry and warm. Many people hated Jesus, but those who brought their needs (‘heavy loads’) to Him found out how wonderful His love was, and didn’t want to leave Him.
It’s really great that I can talk to you about my problems, worries and fears, lord. Thank you. Amen.
SATURDAY
A dAy wITH dANNy
Hi, Gang!
I bet he’s sick! Let’s sneak out for a snowball fight!
Danny doesn’t know it yet, but the man behind him is his new teacher! Sometimes we behave as if God isn’t there or can’t see what’s happening. But God is always there for us!
5TH JANuA uAr uA Ary ry Luke
12 v 1–3
I’m late! Where’s Sir?
Psst ! Behind you, Danny!
dear lord Jesus, thank you that even though I sometimes forget – you are always there. Help me to become more u. and more aware of you. Amen. 7
SUNDAY
ry Ary uAr uA 6TH JANuA 1 Peter
2 v 13–17
A dAy wITH dANNy Your teacher is ill so I’m taking your lessons.
Later
No talking! Keep working!
So open your books at page 12.
Later . still ..
The Topz Gang’s new teacher seems very strict! How would you feel with a teacher like that? Yet today’s Bible reading tells us to obey those who are set over us, to be polite and to ‘respect’ them (v 17). 8
You can’t go out for play until you’ve finished!
Help me to respect my teachers, lord. And also my parents, and other people who look after me. Amen.
t! New Year, New Star
My
New Y e a r Re solution s
This year – I hope to:
dear lord, Please lease help me to make you the centre of my life, and to talk to you about all my hopes, dreams, worries and fears. Amen.
9
THe gIANT-SlAyer small, but useful ...
The strings on Benny’s guitar and Josie’s violin.
The valve in Danny’s football.
The key to the door of John and sarah’s house.
The bell on saucy’s collar.
The plug on Paul’s computer.
A screw in Dave’s bunk bed.
The name and address disc on Gruff’s collar.
All these things are only small, but they are very important. If the Topz Gang lost these small things, what would happen? In the next few days we will see that God often uses small things or people. 10
MONDAY
who me?
7TH JANuA uAr uA Ary ry 1 Samuel
16 v 1, 10–12
Samuel was told by Go d to go to Jesse’s house and choo se a new king. The new king w as to be one of Jesse’s eight sons!
Did you know that Saint David’s day will be on 1st March? Isn’t he the patron saint of whales?
Who did God choose to be the next king? Dave knows. fill in his answer.
No Benny. Not whales, but Wales! He was chosen by God in the sixth century, to bring the good news of Jesus to Wales. So do you have to be a great saint or king for God to choose and use you? . Draw yourself here
No! God wants you to serve Him, whoever you are!
Write your name in this box. When does God want to use you? Join the dots to find out.
Pray about how you can serve god at school, at home and in your spare time.
Read 1 Timothy 4 v 12. See how important young people are to God.
11
TUESDAY
On the inside
ry Ary uAr uA 8TH JANuA 1 Samuel
16 v 6–7
How do these things help our eyes?
Paul needs glasses to help him see clearly. Draw his glasses on his face.
B. A. Microscope see s m _ l l _ _ A certain superhero (guess who!) is supposed to have x-ray vision. He can see through anything but lead.
Binoculars see f _ r _ h _ r
C. Contact lenses (Answers on page 73.) see c _ _ a r _ r Can you see inside this gift? Can you reach David’s heart?
God chose David to be the new king. God was able to look at what David was like inside. He was able to see the things David thought and the things David loved. God knows what we are really like inside. It is no use trying to hide things from God. Don’t ever be afraid to talk to Him honestly.
He will always love you.
12
Thank the lord that He knows us so well, and that He knows what’s really going on inside us.
Soap cleans us on the outside. Who can clean us on the inside?