H e l lo ! ! !
Some of my favourite memories of my childhood involve Bonfire Night, when all the families on my estate would gather together for a small firework party, followed by sausages and jacket potatoes. Since then, large firework displays seem to have become popular – not only on 5th November, but also at New Year, important national events and even weddings. I still absolutely love fireworks at any time of the year, but Bonfire Night has to remain one of my most favourite occasions. This Topz opens with the Gang collecting wood for their bonfire, and learning some important lessons in the process. And as we move into December, they can be found helping to open a café in their church hall to raise money for charity at Christmas (also near the top of my favourite times list!). I love the fact that the Gang are putting their faith into action and helping others at Christmas. It’s very easy to focus on ourselves or just our own families at these special times of the year – but I hope this issue of Topz will help you to think of ways in which you can think about, pray for and help other people, not only at special times, but also on any day of the year. Whether you’re watching a rocket go off or opening a Christmas present, I pray you will know God’s love for you deep inside, and that you’ll share that love with other people each day. See you all in 2013!
IN THIS . TOPZ .. WHIZ IZZ Z! Ba BaNg!! SI SIZZ ZZlle! Page 3
a Te TeST Ter fO fOr eSTH STHe er Page 18
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.
WHIZZ! BaNg! SIZZle!
The Topz Gang are having a meeting in their tree house ... Remember, remember, the fifth of November, gunpowder, treason and plot ...
What’s he on about?
But that was over Well, any 400 years ago! Why do excuse we have fireworks and for a bonfires now? party!
THURSDAY
1ST NOvem NO Ber Galatians
5v1
Bonfire night, Benny. You know, the day we remember that Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London.
Oh, yeah!
Yes! But it also reminds us to be thankful that Britain is a free country!
It’s not free, we have to pay for everything !
Benny’s good at not understanding things! Do you understand what we mean when we say that Jesus has set us free, if we trust in him? his death on the cross paid the price to set us free from the consequences of sin. dear lord Jesus, I thank You with all my heart for dying so that I can be free. amen. men. 3
FRIDAY
Ber NO 2Nd NOvem Psalm
37 v 12–13
WHIZZ! BaNg! SIZZle! Later in the park ...
Let’s meet later and collect some wood for the church bonfire.
Well done, Gruff! We’ll soon have lots of wood! OK!
Let’s nick their wood for our fire! Yeah, when they’ve collected it all!
It’s a shame that you and Saucy are scared of fireworks, and have to stay indoors. But at least you’ll be safe.
Woof!
Do some people make life difficult for you sometimes? Does it make you feel upset? Jesus knows all about it. Some men plotted to kill him, so he knows how you feel. And you can always tell Jesus how you feel about the things that are happening to you.
4
dear lord Jesus, thank You that You are with me when people are horrible to me, and that You can help me through it. amen.
SATURDAY
WHIZZ! BaNg! SIZZle!
3rd NOvem NO Ber Proverbs
27 v 1
The bonfire’s nearly as high as my block of flats!
It’s going to be really good, our bonfire party.
Especially the big rockets!
Half the church will be there, I reckon.
It’s not quite that high!
I don’t know. I think it’s just for the church ...
And there’ll be loads of food! Can we come?
Do you think Danny was right? Do you easily let others in on all the fun? Jesus likes us to include everyone in all the excitement we have. And remember, boasting like the Topz Gang can make you look very silly. See why tomorrow. dear lord Jesus, please help me to be kind to everyone, not just to my friends. amen.
5
SUNDAY
Ber NO 4TH NOvem Luke
18 v 1
WHIZZ! BaNg! SIZZle! That’s the end of our bonfire then.
Back at the park ...
Oh no – it’s gone!
It can’t be – have we got the right spot?
Now everyone will laugh at us, after all we said about it.
’Course we have.
I’m upset too – but we can pray. OK – you pray.
Later ...
I know! Let’s invite everyone to my uncle’s house. Everyone who comes has to bring something for the fire! Cool! But you’d better ask your uncle first ...
6
Do you get fed up and give up when things go wrong? The Topz Gang did, but then they remembered that Jesus wants to help us. What good ideas can come to us when we pray!
dear lord Jesus, help us to remember to pray when everything seems to go wrong. amen.