Bible Stories Like Grandma Told 'Em

By Ruth Perry

Okay, kids, time for devotions. Sit down and listen NOT!

Bible Stories Like Grandma Told Em is a hands on devotional which keeps the children active with activities like:

Coins to find

Animal sounds needed

Riddles to answer

Crafts to reinforce spiritual take-away

Recipes that help tell the story

Visual aids to peak curiosity

Each story will leave them begging for more!

In addition to Bible Stories Like Grandma Told Em, Ruth has written two books. A devotional, What If and memoirs of a caregiver, Up with the Good, Down with the Bad.

Motivating and inspiring others is the underlying theme that keeps Ruth excited about writing. She is a member of the American Christian Writers Group in the Ozarks.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jan 2, 2015
• ISBN: 9781490863542

Book preview

Old Testament

Adventures

The way Grandma tells ’em

The Creation—Genesis 1

In the beginning God created … (Genesis 1:1)

Have you ever been in a place that was so dark you couldn’t see anything? If so, how did you feel?

Everywhere God looked, that’s what He saw too—nothing but blackness. He wanted to be able to see something, so He decided to create some things in His world.

Now what would be pretty and fun to look at? He wondered. First, I’ll need light, so I’ll have to separate light and darkness. Then I’ll make a division between the heavens and a place I’ll call earth.

That was the first day of God’s creation.

God said, It is good.

I think I want a big, beautiful, and blue sky to admire, God thought. He spoke it into existence. This happened on the second day of God’s creation.

There was no land yet, and God knew He wanted land, so on the third day He created land and water and kept all the rivers and streams and oceans separate from the land.

Land is no good unless something grows on it, God said. I think I’ll create plants and vegetables that will grow from the ground.

When God was finished, He said, This is good. But there was still a lot of work to be done.

We’ll need a sun for daytime, God thought. And some stars at night, and a moon to shine over the earth to help the stars light up the sky.

It was the fourth day when God created all these things for the sky. This is also when He gave us spring, summer, fall, and winter. God knew we needed days and years to remember when things happen. God did a lot of things on the fourth day, didn’t He?

God made all the birds and fish and all the things that swim in the water on the fifth day. How many different birds can you think of? Here’s a hint: some are red, and some are blue. A robin is one kind of bird. And can you name anything that swims in the water? Tuna … whales. Fish names might be a little more difficult to think of if you don’t live by the sea. SpongeBob Square Pants doesn’t count! We know he isn’t real.

God said, Things are looking good. I like what I see.

Still, He wanted to create more. He decided there should be animals. I’m glad He created pets, aren’t you? Do you have a pet? What is your pet’s name?

I’ll create some animals that are tame and some animals that are wild and live in the forest, God said.

He created cows and horses, goats and pigs. Have you been on a farm? Name some of the animals you’ve seen. Can you think of any wild animals other than zebras and giraffes?

Do you know what else God created on the sixth day? People! He created Adam to look like God. Then He gave Adam a wife and named her Eve.

God rested on the seventh day from all His work and called this day holy. God looked at everything He had created and said, This is good.

Today, the holy day is called by different names. A couple of names we may hear are the Sabbath, or Shabbat as it is called in Hebrew, or Sunday. The holy day is the day we are to rest from doing our daily work, just like God did. When you go to church and worship God on the holy day, remember to thank Him for including us in His creation.

Centerpiece Visual/Activity

Place greenery around the bottom of a globe. Give kids a sheet of construction paper of the color they choose. Have pencils and crayons available. Let kids draw a globe of the world with two people, animals, and birds on it, and then color it.

Green Bean Creation

Spray a 9x12 baking dish with cooking spray. Mix brown sugar, butter, and garlic powder; set aside. Wrap 8–10 green beans in a bacon slice and secure with a toothpick. Place in baking dish. Pour the butter mixture over bundles. Bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.

1. How many days did it take for God to complete His creation? (Six)

2. What were the names of the first man and woman? (Adam and Eve)

3. What day did God bless as holy? (The seventh day)

Adam and Eve in the Garden—Genesis 2–3

Wisdom begins with respect for the Lord. Those who obey His orders have good understanding. (Psalm 111:10)

Close your eyes, kids. No peeking now. Everybody have your eyes closed? Don’t open them until I tell you to, okay?

Pretend you’re standing in front of a huge gate that leads to a beautiful garden. As you look around, you see tall trees with big green leaves; some of the trees even have fruit on them. Do you see them? The sun’s rays are shining through the leaves, dancing on the thick, dark green grass that looks like green cotton candy. A small waterfall in the distance is rippling over a big rock and splashing into a shallow pond. Can you hear it?

Flowers and bushes are everywhere. Can you smell the roses and the lilacs? There are some deer munching on clover close to the fence. They hear you coming and look up to see if you are going to walk through the gate. The fruit is so low on the trees that all you have to do is reach up and take whichever one you want. Do you know the name of this special garden? Now open your eyes.

You were in the garden of Eden. That was the home of the first people who lived on earth. Their names were Adam and Eve. God made the garden just for them because He loved them more than any other thing He had created.

God told Adam and Eve, You may eat from any tree in the garden of Eden, except one. God held up one finger. In the middle of the garden is the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. You are not to eat from that tree; don’t even touch it. His finger was still up, and He wiggled it back and forth as He told them not to touch the tree.

Adam and Eve loved God and wanted to please Him, so they obeyed—no questions asked.

One evening, Eve wasn’t far from the middle of the garden. Satan came as a serpent, which is another word for snake, and tempted Eve with these words: Go ahead, Eve. Take one.

Eve jumped back. Oh, no! God said if we even touch the tree, we’ll die.

The Serpent laughed. Sss-sss-sss, you won’t die. God just doesn’t want you to be smart as He is. That’s why He doesn’t want you to eat from that tree. God knows you’ll find out what is good and evil, and you’ll be just like Him.

It does look really tasty, Eve admitted. And the tree is so full of fruit, it looks like the branches are about to break. It would be nice to be wise. One little bite shouldn’t hurt anything.

She reached up, took a piece of fruit from the tree, and took a bite. It tasted so good that she ran and found Adam. Try it. It’s so good! she said and gave some to him. He, too, thought the fruit was delicious.

But as soon as he took a bite, he cried, Oh, Eve, we’ve really done something wrong. I can just feel it in my heart!

I know, Eve said. I feel it too. What have we done?

Do you know what they felt? They felt sin in their hearts; they knew they had done wrong. Satan had tricked them into believing a lie.

Adam and Eve hurried to make clothing for themselves out of some fig leaves they found in the garden. Later that evening, when they heard God walking in the garden, they ran and hid.

Adam, where are you? God called.

W-w-when I heard Your voice, I was afraid, God, because I was naked. I ran and hid so You wouldn’t see me, Adam answered.

How did you know you were naked? Did you eat from the tree in the middle of the garden? The one I specifically told you not to eat? God knew the answer, but He wanted to hear it from Adam.

God, Eve told me to try it, so I did, Adam explained, blaming it all on Eve.

Eve, is that true? God wanted an answer.

Eve slowly walked out from behind the bushes. Lord, that serpent in the garden tricked me into eating it. She blamed her actions on Satan.

Adam and Eve, you have made me very sad. I don’t want to do this, God explained, but you will have to leave this beautiful garden of Eden that I made just for you. Sin cannot live here.

Adam and Eve were forced to leave the garden and find another place to live. They had to grow their own food in a small garden not far from the garden of Eden, but it didn’t just grow by itself anymore. They had to pull weeds from it and water it and take care of it. It was hard work.

I wonder if God feels sad when we do something wrong.

Centerpiece Visual/Activity

Find a green plant and put a rubber snake in it. Have pencils, drawing paper, and watercolor paints and brushes available. Let kids draw a tree with apples on it and then color it with whatever they choose to use.

Garden of Eden Apple Salad

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water using 1 cup. Put candies in remaining 1/2 cup water in small saucepan. Over low heat, stir until candies are dissolved. Add enough water to make 1 cup. Add to dissolved gelatin, and cool until mixture is consistency of egg whites. Fold in apple, celery, and nuts. Chill until set.

1. What was the name of God’s first garden? (The garden of Eden)

2. Who tempted Eve to take a bite from the apple? (Satan or Serpent)

3. Why did Adam and Eve find fig leaves to make clothes? (They had sinned, and they didn’t want God to see them)

Cain and Abel—Genesis 4

A gentle answer will calm a person’s anger. But an unkind answer will cause more anger. (Proverbs 15:1)

Raise your hand if you’ve ever argued with your brother, sister, or best friend. It’s really hard not to get angry and argue, isn’t it?

I have a story today about two brothers who argued. Their names are Cain and Abel. And just like you, their parents gave them chores to do.

Cain’s responsibility was to take care of the crops in his parents’ field. He pulled weeds and took buckets of water from the well to pour on the grain when it was needed. Abel took care of the family’s sheep. He had to take them from one meadow to another during the day so they would have enough grass to fill their tummies.

One night, when the brothers were outdoors at the altar worshipping God, Abel told Cain, I brought one of my best sheep to sacrifice on the altar tonight.

When Cain heard that, he became jealous of Abel. He thought Abel was trying to outdo him by bringing a better sacrifice.

Oh, yeah? Well I brought some grain from my field to sacrifice on this altar, Cain retorted.

Cain was angry at Abel because, deep down inside, he knew Abel’s sacrifice was probably better. The blood of an animal was usually what made the sacrifice acceptable to God. Since Jesus hadn’t been born yet to be the ultimate Sacrifice for all people, the people had to substitute by placing things on the altar of sacrifice. This was the only way they could show God how much they loved Him when they worshipped, and the animals’ blood symbolized forgiveness and cleansing from God.

Maybe God did like Abel’s sacrifice better; we don’t know for sure. The Bible doesn’t really tell us. But as Cain thought about Abel’s sacrifice, he became even more jealous and angry with Abel.

One day God spoke to Cain. Why are you so angry? If you continue to be good, I will continue to accept your sacrifice. Sin is making you feel this way. You must say ‘no’ to it. You need to stop being so angry with your brother.

Cain didn’t listen to God; he stayed angry.

A few days later, Cain asked Abel, Why don’t you walk to the field with me? I want to show you how good my crop is growing.

Abel was happy Cain had finally gotten over being angry. Okay, brother, just let me shut the gate on the sheep pen.

When they came to the field, Abel realized Cain was still angry but it was too late. Cain killed Abel right there in the field because of the anger he had let build up within him.

Good! Now I won’t have to worry about him giving me any more trouble, Cain muttered to himself.

Soon after this happened, God came to Cain and asked, Where’s your brother, Cain?

Uh, I don’t know. Am I supposed to keep track of him all day long? Cain asked God. He sure didn’t want God to know what he had done.

But God did know, because He knows everything.

I see Abel’s blood on the ground. That tells me what happened, God said sadly. Because you killed your brother in anger, I will not allow you to grow good crops any more. For punishment, you will now have to move from place to place the rest of your life.

God still didn’t want anything bad to happen to Cain. To protect him, God put a mark on Cain. The mark was a warning for anyone who met Cain not to kill him.

Centerpiece Visual/Activity

Find a small plastic lamb and some fresh vegetables. With colored pencils, let the children draw whichever sacrifice they want—if they draw a lamb, let them glue cotton on the lamb’s body, if vegetables, let them glue some cut-out vegetable pictures on their paper— then display until the next story.

Cain and Abel’s Chowder

Cook ground beef in large soup pan; drain grease. Add remaining ingredients except green beans. Simmer until vegetables are done. Add green beans and heat until green beans are hot. Serve with hot rolls and butter.

1. Which brother helped his parents with the farming? (Cain)

2. What did Abel do to help his parents? (He took care of the sheep)

3. Which brother lost his temper and committed sin by killing the other one? (Cain killed Abel)

(As a child I invented this little A-B-C rhyme: Abel was slain by his Brother Cain to help me remember.)

Noah and the Ark—Genesis 6–8

I have taken Your words to heart so I would not sin against You. (Psalm 119:11)

How many of you kids have ever built something with your hands, like a bird house or a small wooden toy? Maybe it was something from Legos building blocks. If you’re not old enough yet, someday I’m sure you will get to build something. Today our story is about a man who had instructions from God to build an enormous boat called an ark.

Wait a minute, God. Did you say, ‘build a boat?’ Noah thought maybe he hadn’t heard correctly.

Yes, Noah, I want you to build an ark. Put lots of rooms in it and cover it all over inside and out with tar so it will float, God repeated. And I want you to make it 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high.

Kids, do you know how big a football field is? It’s about 300 feet long. Can you imagine a boat that’s longer than a football field? That’s what God asked Noah to build.

He gave Noah the rest of the instructions, saying, When you have completed the ark, I want you to take seven pairs of every kind of birds and animals and put them inside.

God, you know I’ll do it, because I love You. But can I ask, why? Noah questioned.

When you have finished building the ark and all the animals are safe inside with your family, I’m going to send rain on the earth. People are sinning against Me. I am going to send a flood to destroy them.

Noah did everything exactly as God told him. When the ark was finished, all the animals went inside two by two, seven pairs of each kind. Do you think Noah had a difficult time getting the donkeys into the ark? They are so stubborn. And those giraffes; their necks are so long they probably had to crawl in on their boney knees.

I’m sure that was a noisy boat! Can you imagine living with all those animals? And those birds would be flying everywhere! Not to mention the chattering of all those monkeys! If you’ve ever visited a zoo you know how loud those monkeys can be, don’t you? I wonder if the family had ear plugs to wear.

Noah was prepared. He had stored enough food and water for all the animals and his family, just as God instructed.

When they were all safely in the ark it began to sprinkle; drop, drop, drop. Then it started raining and it continued to rain and rain and rain some more. It rained for forty days and forty nights.

How long is that? Think of it like this. When school is out in the summer, you have about ninety days to play in the sun before school starts again. If it rained forty days, that’s almost half of your summer play time! That’s a long time for it to rain, isn’t it?

When the rain finally stopped, all living things on the earth that were not in the ark had died. The water was more than twenty feet higher than the highest mountain. The only ones living were those in the ark with Noah.

Noah, his wife asked, How long are we going to have to remain in this ark?

Noah replied, God will tell us when it’s time to open the door.

Sure enough, God hadn’t forgotten them. A strong wind began to blow