TopzSO121

H e l lo ! ! !

I have really got into taking photos in the past few months, and love the fact that I took them with a digital camera so can put them on my computer and look at them often. They are mostly of very happy or funny times, and help me to remember people and things that happened. They are like little ‘snap shots’ of my life, I guess.

Dave has been showing his Topz friends his photos too – and you can see some of the fun things they remembered when they looked at them together. There are also photos of some of you lovely readers in Topz Bitz!

Being reminded of what has happened in the past can be very helpful: it can help us remember very happy times, or times when we learned something important. Some people do this with photos – others like to write a diary or a blog. The Bible was written a long time ago, but it helps us to remember who God is, what He is like, His plans for us and His world, and just how much He loves us.

I pray that as you read this brilliant issue of Topz, you will either learn for the first time, or be reminded of, how great our God is, and just how much Jesus has done for us.

Oh – and remember to join us next issue! See you then ...

IN THIS .

TOPZ ..

BIB IBle le BO BOa aTS aTS Page 3 g a New TarTINg STar l?

HOOl? ScHOO 12

S N aP S SHOT HOTS S Page 13 Our gre rea aT T gO gOd d Page 20 NeHemIaH & cO. ParT 2 Page 31 TOPZ BITZ: readerS’ OwN cluB P PageS Page 35 P INT INTer NTer erN NaTION aTIONal reSc re cueS ue Page 41

FIre FI re!! re Page 50 THuNdermaN aN Page 55 aer erO OPl OP PlaN aNe TO aFr aF rIca Page 67 TOPZ OPZ aNS aNSw werZ wer erZ & TOPZ TOPZ NOT OTe eS Order FO FOrm rm Page 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.

BIBle BOaTS This is the first time I’ve been on a ferry!

I hope it’s not going to be rough.

I hope Benny hasn’t eaten too much chocolate!

Not the best way for Benny to start his trip! He should have taken some sea sickness pills! We’re going to look at some boats in the Bible. Some you might have read about before, but I think there’ll be some surprises too!

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SATURDAY

PT mBer PTem 1ST SePTe Genesis

6 v 9–22

mega boat!

What kind of lunatic would build a boat miles away from any water?!

That’s the sort of question the people who saw Noah’s boat would have asked! But when Noah told them God was going to flood the world, they would just have laughed.

Look at verse 15. write rite on the pieces of wood Do you think Noah’s boat was: the words of A. As big as a car? verse 22.

N _ __ B. As big as a house?

C. As big as a blue whale? d_ _ D. As big as a football pitch?

e_ _ _ _ _

(Answer on page 73.)

Noah obeyed God no matter who made fun of him. He went against the tide! And soon the rise of a different tide proved him right! dear lord, help me to be willing to do whatever You want me to do.

4 amen.

____

t___

G_ _

c_ _ _ _ _ _

__

Find a big open space, like a park or field. Take 133 of your longest strides in a straight line. Think: Noah’s boat was even longer! (Unless you can stride a metre!)

SUNDAY

Speed boat

2Nd SePTe PT mBer PTem Job

9 v 25-35

Job (the ‘o’ you say like ‘oh’) was feeling very sorry for himself. His life had fallen apart.

This was when he wrote the sad words in today’s reading.

Think of a name for this boat and write it on the side.

Hi Julie!

That’s a nice dress.

Thanks!

Job felt life was passing him by like a fast boat. He thought God was punishing him. But God wasn’t.

God had taken away all Job’s wealth and health to see if Job really loved God, or only loved God for the things He’d given him.

You’re only friendly with her so that she’ll ask you to her party!

heaven, or Do you have faith in Jesus just so you’ll get to because He loved you so much He died for you? dear lord Jesus, thank You that You died to ‘wash away my sins’ (v 30). amen.

5

MONDAY

PT mBer PTem 3rd SePTe Isaiah

18 v 1-5

reed boats

Benny, where is the Sudan?

Sudan-ly I can’t remember, Miss!

Very funny!

Come on have a guess.

Er ... er ...

Africa?

Do you think Benny guessed right? Check an atlas for the answer!

Meanwhile, this map might give you a clue: Colour in the country of Sudan on the map, and write in the name of the river that flows through it (see v 2).

The Nile is the longest river in the world! How long do you think it is?

A. B. C. D.

41.87 miles (67.41 km) 418.7 miles (674.1 km) 4187 miles (6741 km) 41870 miles (67410 km) (Answer on page 73.)

God, through Isaiah, was warning the Sudanese that an enemy was going to defeat them, and that messengers should go back up the Nile on their boats to tell the people. But there would be a happy ending: read verse 7.

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dear lord, help me to take Your message about Jesus to those who don’t know Him. amen.

Sudan has been in the news sometimes because of war and famine there. Every time you hear about Sudan and countries facing famine or war, pray for them.

Ship to Spain

TUESDAY

4TH SePTe PT mBer PTem Jonah

1 v 1–4

(Answers on page 73.)

write, in the corner of each picture, which picture comes 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th in today’s story:

Nineveh was the capital city of Israel’s enemy Assyria. So Jonah, who lived in Israel, didn’t want to go when God told him to go to Nineveh and speak against it! He tried to run away.

But God had other plans! what did the Lord send to show Jonah he was silly to try to run away from Him? ‘a strong ____________ on _________ _________’ (v 4).

When God tells us to do something, and we don’t do it, it can make us unhappy and spoils God’s plan for our lives. Jonah should have trusted God, because it is better to do what God wants. And God was with Jonah when he finally went to Nineveh. dear lord, help me to be obedient when Your w word tells me to do something hard.

Help me remember that Your Holy Spirit is with me to help me. amen.

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WEDNESDAY

PT mBer PTem 5TH SePTe Luke

8 v 22–25

another storm

Jesus spent a lot of time near Lake Galilee. Maybe it was one of His favourite places.

On this boat trip, a sudden storm made the disciples scared stiff.

Be still!

Meanwhile, what was Jesus doing? S _ _ _ _ ing! (v 23).

Bail out the water in the boat by answering these questions: 1. what did the disciples call Jesus? (v 24) 2. what hat happened to the wind and the waves? (v 24) 3. what hat did Jesus ask the 1. m_ _ _ _ _ 2. They _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ disciples? (v 25) 3. where _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _?

4. How did the disciples 4. a_ _ _ _ _ and _ _ _ _ _ _ feel? (v 25) 5. who _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _?

5. what did they say to each other? (v 25) Jesus was able to sleep because He knew He had power over the weather! Even when things around us are going wrong, we can still be calm inside because we know Jesus is in control!

8

Thank You, lord ord Jesus, that I don’t need to worry in troubled times. with You, I can face any storm! amen.

when you’re afraid, ask Jesus to give you His peace and make you calm. He is in control!