1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

Hilltop
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Family Devotional
Community Church
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Devotional Guide
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A Message from Pastor Jim Heden
Dear Hilltop Family,
Welcome to the adventure of “Living Faith”. This devotional has been written by staff
members and is designed especially for your use during Hilltop Community Church's
emphasis on Faith. Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) says “And without faith it is impossible to please
God...” So faith must be pretty important, right? This is why we’ll spend 8 weeks
discovering the in’s and out’s of this thing called faith. The daily topics parallel the subject
of the messages that we will be sharing each week.
It is my prayer that as we travel through the weeks to come, that you as an individual and
“we” collectively as Hilltop Community Church, will experience incredible spiritual growth.
These devotions are an important part of that opportunity for maturity in our lives.
We want God's Word to be at the epicenter of our lives and His direction to be our single
motivation. To experience the full measure of where God is leading us as a church, let me
encourage you to attend each weekend and memorize the Key Scriptures highlighted each
week.
See you in church each weekend,
Pastor Jim
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Suggestions for this Devotional
Family devotions can often seem more like chaos than church. Remember, your goal is not perfection. You
might think of your goal as something more like holy confusion. You just want to add a sense of God's holiness
to your busy household. Here are a few simple suggestions.
1.
Choose a consistent time and place. Whether at breakfast, around the table or in your children's rooms
just before bedtime, having devotions at the same time and same place is the best way to be consistent.
Choose the best time for your family and then don't worry if you miss a day here or there.
2.
Have different family members read the Scripture and devotion each day. This will give everyone a
feeling that they are a part of deciding to have family devotions.
3.
After reading the devotions, take a minute to pray together. Talk to God about the needs in your
family... the church... the world... your friends... those who need to find Christ... your work... your school... etc.
4.
Be yourselves! It's okay to laugh. Noise is not only allowable during devotions, it is probable. If you
allow your children to be themselves during times of devotion, it's amazing how much more they learn. What
you think is bouncing off of them is actually sinking deeply into their souls.
“You must love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and might. And you must think constantly about these
commandments I am giving you today. You must teach them to your children and talk about them when you
are at home or out for a walk; at bedtime and the first thing in the morning.”
Deuteronomy 6:5-7 (TLB)
Whenever you see these puzzle pieces, please take note of the activities listed there
and participate in them. Everyone who is doing this spiritual series will be doing what
you're doing too. So have fun and join along with us.
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Sunday, January 11, 2015
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Day One: Living Expectantly
Memory Verse: Matt. 9:29 (NIV) “According to your faith will it be done to you."
“Then David said to the Philistine, 'You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name
of the Lord of host, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand'.”
1 Samuel 17:45-46
David was certainly an optimist! Regardless of his circumstances, David could always see God's activity! A pessimist focuses on the
problems, concentrating on the reasons why something cannot be done. The optimist sees those same problems, but he sees them
from the perspective of God's presence.
David was just a young boy when he faced Goliath, an intimidating veteran warrior who frightened even the bravest Israelite soldier.
As he prepared for battle, David saw that Goliath was a giant. He heard his boastful taunts. He could not fail to notice his enemy's
weapons: a sword, a shield, and a javelin. David did not barge into the battle unprepared for a fight. He armed himself with five
smooth stones. David was prepared for God to grant him victory with the first stone he hurled at the Giant or the fifth. David was
ready to accept God's victory, whether it came easily or with much effort.
Optimists do not ignore the difficulties, they are keenly aware of them. But the knowledge of God's presence prevents them from
becoming discouraged or giving up. It is impossible to stand in the presence of God and be a pessimist!
The account of David and Goliath vividly pictures the source of the Christian faith- not our own size, strength, or resources, but the
power of almighty God. If we focus on our opposition and problems, they will seem gigantic. But as we focus on God, we will see
our situation in the proper perspective and be assured that all things are possible with God (Phil. 4:13)
Family/Children's activity: Discussion Question: What are the “giants” you are currently facing? Now
make a list of the attributes of Almighty God that trump the strength of that giant.
Children's Activity: Collect rocks from outside and with a marker, write a powerful attribute of God on
each rock.
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Monday, January 12, 2015
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Day Two: Living Expectantly
Memory Verse: Matt. 9:29 (NIV) “According to your faith will it be done to you."
“You'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best,
not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly…” (Phil. 4:8)
What you think about in your unguarded moments reflects what your mind dwells upon. What you speak about when your guard is
down is a good gauge of what is in your heart (Matt. 12:34). Your mind needs exercise just as your physical body does. To keep your
body healthy, you must be careful what you put into it, and you must exercise regularly. To keep your thoughts pure, you must
guard what goes into your mind. To exercise your mind, you must contemplate things that are noble and truths that stretch your
mind.
Some Christians allow the world to fill their minds with ungodly thinking. Some people seem drawn to concentrate on the negative,
choosing to be pessimistic about everything. Some remain satisfied with thinking of the mundane. Others fail to intentionally place
Scripture in their thoughts, choosing instead to adopt human reasoning. Others, however, choose to expose their minds to the
truths of God- to that which is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and good.
The things you allow your mind to dwell on will be revealed by the way you live. If you focus on negative things, you will inevitably
be a negative person. If you allow unholy thoughts to fill your mind, ungodliness will become common in your life. If you fill your
mind with thoughts of Christ, you will become Christ-like.
What you fill your mind with is a matter of choice. Choose to concentrate on the magnificent truths of God, and they will create in
you a noble character that brings glory to God.
*excerpt used from Experiencing God Day By Day, by Blackaby
Family Activity/Discussion Question: Think about a negative person that you know. Now think about a
positive person that you know. What makes them noticeably different? How can you personally adopt
the positive qualities that you see in that positive person?
Children's Activity: Its important that we exercise our mind, for it will lead the way we live. For a fun
mind exercise, play a game of Memory!
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Tuesday, January 13, 2015
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Day Three: Living Expectantly
Memory Verse: Matt. 9:29 (NIV) “According to your faith will it be done to you."
“O my soul, don't be discouraged. Don't be upset. Expect God to act! For I know that I shall again have plenty of reason to
praise him for all that he will do.” (Ps. 42:11)
The Early Church Father, John Chrysostom, expressed it most eloquently and succinctly: “God can refuse nothing to a praying
church.”
Harold Lindsell, former editor of Christianity Today, described the function of prayer this way: “God cannot do something unless we
work. He stores the hills with marble, but He has never built a cathedral. He fills the mountains with iron ore, but He never makes a
needle or a jet airplane. He leaves that to us. If then, God has left many things dependent on man's thinking and working, why
would He not leave some things dependent upon man's praying? He has done so. 'Ask and you shall receive.' And there are some
things God will not give us unless we ask. We cannot suppose that God will do for us without prayer what He has promised to do for
us only through prayer.”
Without prayer we cannot accomplish the work of the Lord. The church moves forward on its knees. If we are to see God work in
our day and in our lives and in our church, we must be praying people.
Study the life of Christ and you will find Him praying at all the key moments. He prayed at His baptism. He prayed prior to selection
of the Twelve. When He faced rejection at Korazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum. At Caesarea Philippi, prayer preceded one of Jesus' key
revelations about himself. At His transfiguration. At the grave of His friend Lazarus. During the Passion Week. At the Passover meal.
In Gethsemane before He was arrested. And on the cross as He commits His spirit.
But He did not only pray at the key moments. He showed us that prayer must color all of our life. He prayed for others, for children,
for disciples to receive the Spirit, for the faith of His friends. He withdrew to pray so He would be uninterrupted, and He prayed in
the midst of the crowds. He prayed after an exhausting schedule, He prayed all night long, He prayed when it was inconvenient.
There is nothing half-baked about Jesus' prayers. He prayed with passion and intensity. May we be people of prayer, passionately
expecting a move of God in every area of our lives.
*excerpts used from Core Values, by George O. Wood
Family Activity: Discussion Question: What are the things that I passionately pray about? As a family,
do we passionately pray for anything together? Am I leading my family in how to live a life of prayer?
Children's Activity: Cut out images and words from various magazines and glue them to what we'll call
“Our Family Prayer List.” The images can represent things like our friends, our family, our teacher, our
church, our neighbor, someone who is sick, etc.
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Wednesday, January 14, 2015
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Day Four: Living Expectantly
Memory Verse: Matt. 9:29 (NIV) “According to your faith will it be done to you."
“While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live
God's holy best.” (Heb. 12:10)
God does everything for a reason. God met Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus road for a purpose (Acts 9:1-9). Saul had planned to
persecute Christians, but his encounter with Christ changed him forever. God did more in that encounter than save Saul from his
sin. God began to reveal His will for Paul's life. God's assignment for Paul was clear: “He is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My
name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake”
(Acts 9:15-16).
God's plan for Paul, revealed through a vision, involved both testifying before kings and suffering persecution. Paul was to enjoy the
thrill of performing miracles, preaching to large crowds, and starting churches. But Paul was also to be stoned, shipwrecked,
whipped, mocked, conspired against, and imprisoned (2 Cor. 11:23-28). Would we accept this part of his assignment as readily as
the first? We never hear of Paul complaining about his commission from God. He never asked that he be given a role like Peter's or
James's, or John's (Gal. 2:9-10). It was enough for Paul that he be given any task in the kingdom of God.
As he neared the end of his ministry, Paul could boldly state to King Agrippa, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” (Acts
26:19)
Oh, to have Paul's tenacity and devotion to the Father's will! What joy there is not only to begin well in our Christian faith, but also
to end faithfully! It is God's desire that each of us could say at the end of our lives, “I was not disobedient.”
*excerpt used from Experiencing God Day By Day, by Blackaby
Family Activity/Discussion Time: Why is it sometimes easier for us to justify our disobedience to God's
Word than it is to obey God's Word?
Children's Activity: Play a fun game of Simon Says! Then talk about the importance and the blessing
that comes from obedience.
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Thursday, January 15, 2015
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Day Five: Living Expectantly
“Memory Verse: Matt. 9:29 (NIV) “According to your faith will it be done to you."
“I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I'll advise you and watch over you.” (Ps. 32:8)
Your life is the sum of the responses you have made toward God. Once God makes Himself known to you, what you do next is your
decision. Your reaction reflects what you believe about Him. The rich, young ruler lived a moral life. He was well versed in
Scripture, and the laws of God. But his response to Jesus' invitation clearly showed that, although he possessed a head knowledge
of the teachings of God, he did not know God in an experiential way that could be demonstrated by a response of faith (Matt. 19:1622).
Whenever the Lord speaks to you, it will require an adjustment in your life. This truth can dramatically affect your prayer life. Every
time you pray you must be aware that if God answers your prayer and reveals His will to you, it will immediately require you to
reorient your life. Each time you read your Bible, you must be prepared to obey what God tells you.
Why did God use Peter and James and John to significantly to turn their world upside down? And why were others, like the rich,
young ruler, never heard from again? Choices! The disciples chose to believe, and their belief was proven by their obedience. The
rich, young ruler could not bring himself to obey, and Scripture tells us that he “went away sorrowful.”
*excerpt used from Experiencing God Day By Day, by Blackaby
Family Activity/Discussion Time: You are faced with the same question as the rich, young ruler. What
adjustments are you willing to make in order to responds positively to Christ?
Children's Activity: Let's play a game with a lot of choices! Come up with a list of crazy questions that all
start with “Would you rather…” and ask them to each other. For example, “Would you rather get stuck
in the snow without a jacket or without shoes?” or “Would you rather be really hairy or completely
bald?” “Would you rather be super strong or super fast?” “Would you rather have a third eye or a third
arm?”
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Friday, January 16, 2015
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Day Six: Living Expectantly
Memory Verse: Matt. 9:29 (NIV) “According to your faith will it be done to you."
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be
thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” (Matt. 5:13)
God's people are His preserving agents for a world that is corrupted and degenerating because of sin. Your life is designed and
commissioned by God to enhance a community and to preserve what is good an right. There is deep significance today for a godly
life that is involved in its community. The presence of Christ in you makes all that He is available to others. His salvation can free an
addict, mend a broken home, heal the pain of the past, restore a wayward child, and comfort a grieving heart. All of this is available
to those around you as Christ expresses His life through you.
If we are not in a right relationship with the Lord, however, Jesus said we are like salt that has lost its saltiness and is, therefore,
good for nothing. None of God's saving grace and power can be dispensed through us to others. How do we test the “saltiness” of
our life? The evidence that we have been used by God as a preserving agent is that things are becoming spiritually better around us
instead of worse. If people around us are deteriorating spiritually, we need to go to the Lord and allow Him to adjust our lives so
that we can be used to impact and influence others towards Christ.
*excerpt used from Experiencing God Day By Day, by Blackaby
Family Activity/Discussion Time: Test the “saltiness” of your life. Look at your family: Are we
preserving it from the destructive influences that surround it? Examine your workplace: Are the sinful
influences in our work environment being halted because we are there? Observe your community: Is it
a better place because you are involved in it? What about our church?
Children's Activity: Salt is an important ingredient in many recipes! It adds just the flavor we need to
enjoy it. So let's bake something today!
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Saturday, January 17, 2015
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Day Seven: Living Expectantly
Memory Verse: Matt. 9:29 (NIV) “According to your faith will it be done to you."
“Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.” (Matt. 5:16)
There is no mistaking the effect of light upon a darkened place. Light boldly and unabashedly announces its presence and vigorously
dispels darkness. God's desire is to fill you with His light. He wants you to shine as a brilliant testimony of His presence and power
in your life, so that the darkness in the lives of those around you will be displaced by the light of God's glory.
If, however, you notice the world around you becoming darker and darker, don't blame the darkness! It is simply doing what
darkness does. The only remedy for darkness is light. If the world is becoming darker, the problem is not with the darkness. The
problem is with the light. Jesus said His disciples should be the “light of the world” (Matt. 5:14). What an awesome responsibilityto be the ones through whom God would shine His divine light and dispel the darkness from around others! In announcing His own
coming, Jesus said, “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, / And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of
death / Light has dawned” (Matt. 4:16).
There was no ignoring Jesus' arrival upon earth! Darkness was dispelled! Everywhere Jesus went, God's truth was boldly
proclaimed, people were healed, hypocrisy was exposed, and inners found forgiveness. The world was never the same once the
Father introduced His light through His Son. Can that be said of you as well? When God's light is allowed to shine unhindered
through your life, the darkness around you will be dispelled.
*excerpt used from Experiencing God Day By Day, by Blackaby
Family Activity/Discussion Time: Can it be said of me that my surroundings were never the same once
I came on the scene? Do my coworkers recognize the light that is within me? Does the presence of
Christ radiate from my home into our community?
Children's Activity: Let's play a game of Flashlight Tag! Turn all the lights out in your room and turn on a
flashlight. It's amazing how bright one light can be in a dark room. Now as one person shines the
flashlight on the ground, the other person has to try to jump onto the spot it shines.
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Sunday, January 18, 2015
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Day Eight: Imagine
Memory Verse:
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Cor. 2:9 (NLT)
Joshua 1:1-11 (NIV)
“After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: "Moses my servant is dead.
Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them--to the Israelites.
I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.”
As I was reading these scriptures, I can't help but to see what was surrounding Joshua at this time. Let's face it: Joshua's mentor, the
person that took him under his wing had just passed away. Joshua having to fill in some huge shoes? Now that's crazy right? Well,
not to God. God saw Joshua as the perfect fit. Here is one thing to consider as we dive into this series, Imagine.
1. God will always prepare you for your next encounter or your next level.
Imagination is so powerful. In fact the start of buildings or congregation begins with that one thought or imagination, right? So if
God gave us the power to imagine, we can only wonder what God's imagination or thought is about our life. Can I tell you that His
plans are so great and huge for you! But you see He cares so much about us than Hid plan that He prepares us for what's about to
take place in our lives. God cares enough about us that He takes time to prepare us for what He has planned. Let's take what God is
saying to Joshua in the first 3 verses of Joshua chapter 1.
Let's state the obvious. Moses has passed and now Joshua is next in line to take the lead. What Joshua didn't realize was God had
set him up for his next level encounter. God had prepared him for this moment. All of the assisting and things that seem crazy for
Joshua to do lead up to this moment. But in order for Joshua to take lead, something or someone had to die. You see, I believe God's
thoughts or imagination for our next level sometimes may require something in us to die. To get to our next level in Christ, what is it
that needs to go? Pride? Lust? Anger? I want encourage you today to see that God is preparing you. I love what God tells Joshua in
verse 3. Everywhere Joshua puts his foot down is his. Not only was God letting him know what will go down but God sticks to His
word. Not only was Hod about to give Joshua his promise but he would also fulfill the promise that was given Moses. Wow! Talk
about imagination!!!
As we continue our series Imagine, evaluate your heart. Let's take moment to look inward. Ask yourself what is God requiring of me
to kill or to let go? Identify that and ask God to remove it. Ask Him to prepare you for what He is about to give you. The territory and
place He is about to take you. I get excited when I think about my life and what I imagine life to be. Could you even imagine what
God sees? Oh my! Get ready! He preparing you this very moment.
Family Discussion Question: Activity: Have a family movie night and watch Saving Mr. Banks!
Ask questions such as Why is team work important? How did the creative team become successful in
reaching Mrs. Travers? How does this movie incorporate Imagination?
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Monday, January 19, 2015
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Day Nine: Imagine
Memory Verse:
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Cor. 2:9 (NLT)
Joshua 1: 4-6
“Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates--all the Hittite country--to the
Great Sea on the west. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with
you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I
swore to their forefathers to give them.”
Our thoughts are different from God's thoughts ( Isaiah 55: 8). So what we think or imagine God to do, He can exceed that! Or
maybe He doesn't give you a certain something for you own good. All in all, we have to understand the power of God's word. God
thoughts became a reality when He spoke the words to Joshua. You see, when God says something, it will be done! There is no going
back on His word. I'm sure Joshua was thinking, God is going to give me what He already gave Moses! But no. God said you already
have that but I will give you more!
God continues to remind Joshua that He will be with Him all of his days. And that is a promise that God plans to keep. God also tells
Joshua that no one will be able to stand up against him. So therefore, there will be people against you but they will not be able to
stand up! I love that God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous and that he would lead the people. How direct can you be right?
God looks at you and says I trust you Joshua! Wow!
What about us?
I believe God's people is more important than God's destination. Joshua was far more important then the destination. In other
words, God looks at you and says, destination is coming but I care more about you! He wants to prepare us and plant in us a courage
that is beyond our imagination. It's no wonder God would tell Joshua to be courageous. You see, God wants the best and He knows
exactly how to give the best. The question is always are we ready? Here is one thing to consider. What is God planting in you? What
is He saying to you? Identify what is stopping you from accomplishing that goal or dream.
Family Activity: Get together with your family and write one goal this week. When the goal is complete,
celebrate by taking the family to ice cream!
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Tuesday, January 20, 2015
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Day Ten: Imagine
Memory Verse:
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Cor. 2:9 (NLT)
Joshua 1:7-8
“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to
the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day
and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Before these two verses, we understand 3 things.
1. God has prepared us for this moment
2. God sees us as more important then the destination!
3. When God says it, that's a done deal!
It's amazing how fast we forget the promises of God when things don't go our way. When troubles come, it's easy to see the issue
rather then the God we serve, right? Verse 7-8, God tells Joshua something that still rings true today. Do not let the Book of the law
depart from your mouth. Don't turn to the right or left. In other words, God says I gave you a word now it's Joshua's turn to believe
it.
How many times have we gone away from the promises of God? I myself sometimes forget the greatness of our God. One thing is
for sure, WITHOUT GOD WE ARE LIMITED. God's imagination is far beyond what we comprehend. However, in these verses God
gives us the ingredients of a successful destination! Our trust in what He says is vital. All He ask is for us to believe in what He says.
In other words, have faith. Our imagination alone can go places but is very limited. But with God involved and leading, it is limitless!
It's your choice. Take a moment to evaluate the goals in your life. Is God involved? How is God involved?
Family Activity: Get a piece of yarn or a string. Tie it around your wrist like a bracelet as a reminder to
involve God in your life!
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Wednesday, January 21, 2015
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Day Eleven: Imagine
Memory Verse:
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Cor. 2:9 (NLT)
“God can do anything, you know –far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it
not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us.” Eph. 3:20 (Mes)
This verse explains who and what God is. God can! You see, I love this verse because it makes a statement of truth. There is
absolutely no ifs or buts about it. He is God of the impossible.
God is bigger then medicine and too huge to be categorized. He is in everything! He exceeds our imagination! Did you catch that
one? When we think God would only give us a car, He can exceed that and give you a car lot! Now that's just the material stuff.
How about Kingdom stuff? It's time we begin to dream big! In other words, I feel like in the verse God dares us to believe for greater.
He desires us to see and dream big! The question is, will you? I double dog dare you to believe God for something big this year!
Ready, set, go!!
Family Activity: Take a moment and pray over your family. Go around and ask what they want to see
God do this year!
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Thursday, January 22, 2015
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Day Twelve: Imagine
Memory Verse:
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Cor. 2:9 (NLT)
“Anyone who doubts is like a wave in the sea, blown up and down by the wind... They should not think they will receive anything
from the Lord.” James 1:6-7 (NCV)
Now I know that we have been talking all about the positive of Imagination but there is a negative thought that has power to. This
scripture tells us that doubt messes with our imagination. Doubt tells us that we can't do it. The finance isn't there. And now, we go
back and forth on decisions. We make decisions based on fear and not faith. So therefore, we play it safe! Well today, God is
challenging us to go deeper. To let our faith rise to a whole other level. Don't play it safe. Begin to believe God for the impossible.
Let's have huge faith! Take the challenge!
Family Activity: As a family, watch this video. HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD- Louie Giglio.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAzCP8SEKwc
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Friday, January 23, 2015
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Day Thirteen: Imagine
Memory Verse:
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Cor. 2:9 (NLT)
“With God's power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine.” Eph. 3:20 (NCV)
Let's make this clear, where we are in life has everything to do with God. He formed us, He knew us even before we were born, and
He knows our ending! The question becomes are we working with the power of God? Are you allowing the God in you to work
through you? If so, it's clear that with God on your side, there are no limits. There is no boundaries. He can do "much, much more
than anything we can ask or imagine"! How great is that?
So what does that mean? Well let me give you an example. Before leading worship, I was a singer. I only saw my gift as a singer and
that's it. It wasn't til I was 26 that I began to discover God had a call over my life. You see, in my own thoughts I was just an artist.
But God had bigger plans, I entered a whole new ball game! I was starting to become a worship leader for His Kingdom! That's a big
task! His Kingdom is HUGE!! It's much, much greater! Now is the time to get on the right team! Allow the God in you to be activated!
Now is the time!!!
Family Activity: Give each person a paper and pen. Write down three things that you would like to see
accomplished in your life. Then have fun coming up with an idea of how God can come through. For
example: I want a car. Possibilities: God may use someone to give me their car. I could win it for being
the first to show up to church. My brother may give me His car!
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Saturday, January 24, 2015
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Day Fourteen: Imagine
Memory Verse:
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Cor. 2:9 (NLT)
I want to end this series Imagine and bring it full circle!
Imagine God being where you are right now, and He speaks this verse over you? How would that make you feel? Well can I share
with you that He has already spoken it over you! Here is your task. To love Him! To fall in love with the creator of all of Heaven and
earth! His plans for you has yet to be seen and discovered. I think He states that because the truth is, what's more important to Him
is relationship.
Do you love Him? It's so easy for dads to give up their wallets when their daughter or son praises them and compliments them on
how buff they look, right? Try doing it for a month! Daddy is going to go broke! Or you can try the total opposite. Good luck on that
one. The point is there is a responsibility that we have with God and its to love Him in through our actions and talk! God's response
is this... I don't even know! Just focus on loving Him!
Family Activity: Get the family together and pray over each person. Pray specifically for their
relationship with Jesus and a protection over their heart.
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Sunday, January 25, 2015
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Day Fifteen: Stepping Forward
Memory Verse:
“God gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.” Psalms 145:14 (Mes)
Mark 10:46 – 52 “Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind
man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth,
he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the
more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and said: “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your
feet! He's calling you.” Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
Don't Give Up.
Persist: To continue steadfastly or firmly in some state, purpose, course of action, or the like, especially in spite of opposition.
In looking at the story of Bartimaeus, we can imagine some days this beggar just wanted to give up. Perhaps there was those days
that he didn't get much. How humiliating to have to beg for your every need, relying on the mercy of others just to exist. You'll note
that when Jesus arrived, Bartimaeus began to call out and many of the people scolded him and told him to be quiet. This implies
that the community considered him a bit of a nuisance, devalued as a person for sure. He didn't let that stop him, he shouted even
more loudly, 'Have mercy on me!” Mark 10:48 (GN) He didn't whimper, he shouted for mercy. He didn't let the rebuke of the crowd
impede him.
Next, Bartimaeus threw his cloak aside. To me, this is a major act of abandon. As a beggar, he had very few possessions. A cloak
would be a valuable necessity. It would be the one thing that would keep you warm and sheltered; yet he willingly threw it aside.
Then, Bartimaeus realizing his moment, his opportunity, jumped to his feet! He seized the moment that would change his life
forever!
I know you see it, all of the above required action by Bartimaeus. Not allowing his limitation to stop him, seizing the moment for
what it was; faith in action!
Have you had something get you off track with your relationship with the Lord? It can be as simple as life distractions or as
complicated as sin patterns in our lives. Verse 49 says: “Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you.” He still calls us today. Never
devaluing us, looking for us just as we are. Jesus persists, shouldn't we?
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Monday, January 26, 2015
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Day Sixteen: Stepping Forward
Memory Verse:
“God gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.” Psalms 145:14 (Mes)
Don't Procrastinate
“Jesus said, 'No procrastination! No backward looks. You can't put off God's kingdom till tomorrow. Seize the day!” Luke 9:62 (Mes)
Procrastination: the act or habit of procrastinating, or putting off or delaying, especially something requiring immediate attention
“Carpe Diem” translated: Seize the Day! How about the saying: “You snooze, you lose!” I don't know why but for a lot of us, we
procrastinate a lot of things in our lives, from chores to taxes, for some reason it seems human nature to procrastinate. Can you
honestly think of a time that putting something off benefited you? In looking back at the story of Bartimaeus, had he procrastinated
he most likely would have missed his Jesus moment, the moment that changed his life forever. Imagine if he put off calling out?
What If he waited to throw aside his cloak and jump to his feet? Bartimaeus didn't have the option of traveling around observing
and listening to Jesus' teachings. He didn't have the luxury of evaluating if Jesus was all he claimed to be. He was too busy begging
daily for his basic needs. He had to take what he had heard “sight unseen”, excuse the pun. As Jesus arrived in town, Bartimaeus'
Jesus moment was just ahead of him and he wasn't going to miss it.
A Jesus moment for many of us unfortunately comes in times of despair or desperation. For others, an intentional commitment to
prayer and seeking God, brings them to an understanding of God's promises through his Word and the hope found in Jesus; a
realization of God the Father's limitless love for us. No matter how those times of growth and discovery come, they are life changing
and life saving. The scripture states, “you will seek the Lord your God and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and
with all your soul.” Deut. 4:29.
We may call upon God for any reason at any time, regarding any problem or difficulty or challenge. When we fight our battles on
our knees, we win every time. Don't procrastinate. Invite God into every situation, no matter how small and no matter how big.
Family/Children Activity: As a family, read the story of David and Goliath or Daniel in the Lion's Den. A
point of discussion for both of these stories: God's power when we commit to look to Him as our source
of strength from the very beginning, without procrastination.
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Tuesday, January 27, 2015
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Day Seventeen: Stepping Forward
Memory Verse:
“God gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.” Psalms 145:14 (Mes)
Trust in God
“The fear of human opinion disables you: trusting in God protects you from that.” Prov. 29:25 (Mes)
To talk about trust, you also have to talk about confidence. Confidence is an amazing thing. Sometimes we have it and sometimes
we find ourselves sorely lacking it. Confidence is a by-product of trust. To completely trust that our God loves us without measure,
so much so that He made a way for us through Jesus. And when Jesus had to leave, he left us the Holy Spirit to be our comfort and
guide. A complete package you might say.
Bartimeaus didn't let the court of public opinion keep him from his pursuit of mercy and ultimately healing. His trust in this man
Jesus as a healer and ultimately the long awaited Messiah superseded the crowds scolding, years of humiliation and rejection.
Bartimeaus had faith, the evidence of things hoped for yet unseen. Bartimeaus may have been physically blind but not spiritually.
How amazing that this man who found himself always having to rely on others was able to put his complete trust in this man Jesus.
If we place all our trust in mankind or even in ourselves, disappointment is imminent. It's shaky ground, unstable and therefore we
cannot have confidence as we walk our life journey. The Bible says: As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He
is a shield to all who trust in Him. 2 Samuel 22:31
Family / Children's Activity – Blind fold each other and take turns walking through out the yard or
house. How confident do you feel on your own and then using another person, see how trustful are
you?
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Wednesday, January 28, 2015
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Day Eighteen: Stepping Forward
Memory Verse:
“God gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.” Psalms 145:14 (Mes)
God's Will
Do not boast about tomorrow. “You ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'” James 4:15 (NIV)
Many times along our faith journey, we decide that we have arrived. We grow content in our relationship with our God. Many
Christians today seem content to live an “adequate” Christian life. They believe that if they go to church, read their Bible
occasionally, and say their prayers once in a while, they are all right with God. Occasionally, they may decide to honor God by
volunteering to serve others at church. But with every step we take, every decision we make, every conversation we have, and every
thought we entertain, the Lord desires to live within us.
“Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe –
Christ's life, the fulfillment of God's original promise.” Gal. 3:27 (MES) He wants more than just the occasional moments, He wants
what he first wanted, a deep abiding and loving relationship with us, His creation, His children. Remember the original plan….the
Garden of Eden?
When we receive the Lord as our Savior, we accept it all. The holy trinity: God the Father, Jesus the Son, the Holy Spirit and also the
infallible Word of God. We receive Him as our Savior and we submit to HIS WILL. The Bible says: “Teach me to do Your will. For You
are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness. “ Psalm 143:10 And then there's the perfect prayer, “The Lord's
Prayer” Matt 6:9-13.
“Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Family/Children's Activity – Using either 3x5 cards or an electronic device. Print / type each word of
the Lord's Prayer. Say the prayer together and after each time, remove a few words or cards. Say it
again, each time remove additional cards or words until all are gone. See who can memorize it first.
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Thursday, January 29, 2015
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Day Nineteen: Stepping Forward
Memory Verse:
“God gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.” Psalms 145:14 (Mes)
God's Grace
“From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.” John 1:16 (NIV)
Looking again at the story of Bartimaeus again, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.”
Whatever Jesus did, He did with grace. Whatever He said He said in truth. He was not gracious some of the time and less gracious
other times, any more than He varied in the amount of truth He spoke. Mercy and grace are very similar. Grace means to offer
favor or goodwill. Mercy means to show compassion or forbearance toward an offender or enemy or other person in one's power.
The showing of favor or goodwill could be considered a gift or wonderful gesture. Asking for mercy is asking for pity, acknowledging
that person is “over” or “above” you.
In asking for mercy, Bartimeaus received his healing, both physically and spiritually. “From the fullness of His grace we have all
received one blessing after another.” Interesting that this scripture refers to God offering us “grace” (favor and goodwill) through
Jesus. A beautiful partnering: God's grace and our desire for mercy; acknowledging our awesome God through our complete and
loving submission.
But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore submit to God. Resist
the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. “ James 4:6-8
Family/Children discussion: Have there been times when grace was offered within your family
structure?
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Friday, January 30, 2015
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Day Twenty: Stepping Forward
Memory Verse:
“God gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.” Psalms 145:14 (Mes)
Faith is the Key
“That's why faith is the key! God's promise is given to us as a free gift.” Rom. 4:16a (NLT)
God never promises us anything that He can't deliver. Do we believe that? If we do, then it only makes sense to put our complete
trust in Him, regardless of how dark our circumstances might appear. Like Bartimeaus, call out, stand up and throw everything aside!
For those who choose to put their faith in the risen Christ, the war with heaven is over. We move from darkness to light, from
enemies to beloved children, from death to life; yet another promise from our Father.
God showers His peace on those who trust Him. Trials, difficulties, and adversities are often God's way of maturing us into people
who look more like His Son. No one likes trials, but by faith we can begin to understand how God may want to use them for our
good.
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28
Family / Children Activity: Try the memory game again. Make your own memory cards or use an
electronic device. Type up each word of Romans 8:28. After saying the verse together, erase a couple
words or remove a couple cards. Continue this until all have been erased or removed. See if you've got
the verse memorized. Romans 8:28 is a life verse – a great one to hold in your heart.
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Saturday, January 31, 2015
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Day Twenty-one: Stepping Forward
Memory Verse:
“God gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.” Psalms 145:14 (Mes)
Faith into Action
“If people say they have faith, but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing…” James 2:14 (NCV)
God does not want negative elements from the past to lie around our lives and cause us trouble. Each of us is the temple of the
Holy Spirit, and He wants us to be clean and usable vessels. We have no reason to allow the rubbish of the past to remain in our
lives for years, those old memories, haunting temptations, the baggage of unresolved hurts and unreconciled relationships. The
Lord desires that we free ourselves of anything that might keep us in inner bondage, whether mentally, emotionally, psychologically,
or spiritually. When we become complacent in accepting the hurts of the past as part of who we are, the Lord may bring a little
adversity to lead us to instead pursue who we might be in Christ Jesus.
Back to our friend Bartimeaus. Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. “What do you want me to do for
you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he
received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. Mark 10:50-52.
It isn't enough that the Lord gets our attention or that we engage in self-examination. We can see a problem and know ourselves
thoroughly, but unless we change our response to God in some way, we will never benefit fully from adversity or grow as a result of
it.
Everything that we have – right thinking, right living, a clean slate, and a fresh start – comes from God by way of Jesus Christ.”
1 Cor. 1:30 (Mes)
Family/ Children Activity: Since we have referred to the story of Blind Bartemeaus, try a fun time of
role play. Costumes and simple props are fun and don't have to be fancy. A simple blanket for a cloak
and a few villagers with baskets…and of course, don't forget Jesus. A fun activity will help your children
remember this special story.
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Day Twenty-two: Stepping Forward
Memory Verse:
“God gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.” Psalm 145:14 (Mes)
“The fear of human opinion disables you; trusting in God protects you from that.” Proverbs 29:25
What will they say? This is a thought that runs through our minds much too often. It is a thought based on a fear. Fear of what
might happen based upon what others think. Fear destroys Faith; the two cannot exist together. If my fear has me listening to the
crowd when I should be listening to the Lord, I'm going to get into big trouble. On the other hand, if I am faithful to believing in
what the Lord has spoken to me through the promises of His Word, not allowing myself thereby to be pulled down by the opinions
of others, I will reap blessings from God.
Job was under great duress and had the misfortune of having some “not-so-kind” friends. These friends had the opinion he needed
to curse God and die. Thank goodness Job kept his faith and didn't listen to his friends! He in turn experienced a great blessing from
the Lord. The Lord honors those that fear Him and none other. It's what He says about you that really counts!
Family Discussion Question: What are ways words hurts us?
Children Activity: Take a walk at night or enter a darkened room. Relate the dark to the fear that worlds
can bring. Give everyone a flashlight. Turn the light on all at once. Relate this light to trusting God even
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Monday, February 2, 2015
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Day Twenty-three: Essentials of Faith
Memory Verse:
“God gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.” Psalm 145:14 (Mes)
Too Tired? You've run out of that vital element called energy and you are losing ground even in the area of your belief. You have
found that your efforts have resulted in a big blank check; a big nothing for your hard work. What do you have left? If you have kept
your faith and held on to Jesus Christ, you have everything. The Bible says that if you come to Christ by faith, He will ease the load'
he will raise you up and put you back on your feet. It's the hand raised in faith that He loves to grasp and pull up giving us a fresh
new start.
Faith has you understanding that the Lord loves to power us up for a restart. Peter, in denying Jesus that night before His crucifixion,
definitely had fallen flat on his face. He seemed like he was ready to quit. And yet, he had enough faith after his failure to follow
Jesus instructions and meet Him in Galilee after the resurrection. It was there that Jesus gave Peter a whole new start. In faith,
Peter began again with Jesus' prompting and this resulted in him having the most awesome experience of being I the upper room on
the day of Pentecost. He would share the Gospel that day and see three thousand people come to find Jesus as Lord an Savior. You
are never of the game of life as long as you have faith in Jesus. Only Jesus can restart you as a winner in life and it's your faith that
allows Him to do so.
Family Discussion Question: Have you ever been ready to quit something? How did it turn out?
Children's Activity: Schedule a hike or bike ride with your children. Bring a surprise snack. When the
going gets tough, bring out the surprise. Comment with your children on the fresh start it gives them.
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Tuesday, February 3, 2015
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Day Twenty-four: Essentials of Faith
Memory Verse:
“God gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.” Psalm 145:14 (Mes)
“Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe –
Christ's life, the fulfillment of God's original promise. “ Galatians 3:27 (Mes)
What would happen if one day children started wearing adult clothes and adults were wearing children's clothes? What if the
babies in the world started walking and the adults were all crawling? I think the world would come to halt.
The scripture here in Galatians is telling us that when we become Christians we grow up. We didn't just get a sin forgiven life, no,
we also received a new, spiritual adult way of thinking. We are now to have the mind of Christ and to look and act like people of
faith, adult faith that can be seen by all. Can we picture a mature faith? It does not doubt God's promises, it is a faith that focuses
on pleasing God not self or others. It is a faith based o the reality that God honors Faith. It is a faith that binds people to a loving
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Is your faith maturing faith that is growing up in Christ Jesus? Does it look like it should or are we
adults dressed in infant faith?
Family discussion Question: Have you been responding, showing maturity, or are you responding as a
baby (immature) to life's situations?
Children's Activity: Have dress-up time with your children using adult clothes. Do the clothes fit if we
are not big enough? Relate this to actions and responding in the right way. Us Ephesians 6 to show the
way God would have us dress each day.
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Day Twenty-five: Essentials of Faith
Memory Verse:
“God gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.” Psalm 145:14 (Mes)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart. And do not lean on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and he will
make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-5 (NAS)
As we travel down this road to discover the power of a God-based faith, we must do so with a trusting heart. We must trust in the
Lord with all our heart, believing He is able and wise to do what is best.
The story is told of a tight rope walker crossing Niagara Falls pushing a wheel barrow. As the crowd watched, the man successfully
crossed the abyss. Upon arriving to the other side, the man's confidence was so high he cried out to the crowd, “Who will ride in
the wheel barrow back with me?” The crowd was silenced by this statement and remained quiet for a long time. But then one in
the crowd yelled back to the man, “I trust you, I will do it.” Later it was told that the volunteer was the tight rope walker's agent.
The moral to the story is that we tend to believe in and trust the people we invest in. Our time and resources will follow what we
trust in. We can also see in this story the tight rope walker's agent was will to risk all in his belief that he could trust his friend. The
life of faith asks of us to invest our lives in Jesus and His Gospel her on earth. We trust even to a point that if it is necessary, we risk
all for Him. Let us step out on this path of faith and experience the adventure of trusting in Jesus Christ by giving Him our all.
Family Discussion Question: What would be your all that you could give to Jesus?
Children's Activity: Set up a faith walk for your children. This would be similar to an obstacle
course. Blindfold the child and lead them through the course with your words, teaching them to
trust without seeing.
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Thursday, February 5, 2015
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Day Twenty-six: Essentials of Faith
Memory Verse:
“God gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.” Psalm 145:14 (Mes)
“If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done.” Ecclesiastes 11:4
We all have at times hesitated to make a decision, to purchase an item, to commit to a task. Our thinking was that it just didn't
seem right; conditions were not as we desired. Waiting until it all came our way, more times then not, had us missing a great
opportunity. What does it take to step into the “not so perfect “ world? Faith! That person is Jesus Christ.
One winter I had to travel to a California valley town. As I drove on Highway 99, the fog was so dense all I could see were the tail
lights of the vehicle in front of me. I made the decision to get behind the biggest truck I could find, believing the truck was bigger
and could protect me. I also felt like the driver was in better position to see. It too faith to believe that the truck driver knew what
he was doing.
The real faith, though was in believing my Lord was watching over me and helping that truck driver. I arrived safely to my
destination. If I had pulled off the road and waited or just not gone at all, I would have missed a great opportunity in my life. Blindly
following Jesus Christ in life, take faith. When life's fog rolls in, we must move on anyway having faith in what God has allowed us to
see.
Family Discussion Question: Do we really need perfect condition in order to get something done?
Children's Activity: Set the timer on the stove for about fifteen minutes. On the count of three,
everyone works hard at a task or chore. When the timer goes off, everyone freezes to see what has
been accomplished in this short time.
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Friday, February 6, 2015
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Day Twenty-seven: Essentials of Faith
Memory Verse:
“God gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.” Psalm 145:14 (Mes)
“Jesus said to him, 'Go your way: your faith has made you well.' And immediately he regained his sight…” Mark 10:52a (NAS)
“Your faith has made you well.” Many times in the New Testament Jesus makes a reference like this' …your faith made it happen'.
Simply stated, faith makes things happen in our lives. Faith is a catalyst for God to do what He does best, correct the errors,
problems and difficulties of our life. Faith is not stagnate, it is alive and allows trusting in the One who is in control of all things.
Blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10 stepped out in faith and his eyes were healed. The ruler in Matthew 9 stepped out in faith for the
healing of his daughter and she was brought to life. Simon Peter and his brother, Andrew, in Matthew 4 stepped out in faith to
follow Jesus as disciples to fish now for men. What was it that made each one respond without hesitation; to step out and believe
that Jesus could do what He said He could do? It was their faith, their pure and simple faith.
Family Discussion Question: Tell about someone you know that has displayed a true faith and belief for
the things that God has promised? What is clouding your true faith is Jesus today? Can you let it go and
trust purely in Him for that need or situation?
Children's Activity: Play “Red Light Green Light”. Relate the green light to Jesus' call to believe and the
red light to when our unbelief steps in. At the end of the game, see who stepped out the farthest. This is
an example of the one with the greatest faith! To win the game, we must step out!
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Saturday, February 7, 2015
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Day Twenty-eight: Essentials of Faith
Memory Verse:
“God gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.” Psalm 145:14 (Mes)
“From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.” John 1:16 (NIV)
Grace is the key for abundant life.
Let's look at what Webster is saying about grace:
“grace (grās) n. 1 Beauty or harmony of form, attitude, etc.: ease and elegance of speech. 2. Any excellence or attractive
characteristic, quality, or endowment. 3. Unmerited favor or good will; clemency: hence, any kindness, favor, or service freely
rendered. 4. Theol. The unmerited love and fovor of God in Christ; hence, free gift; the divine influence acting within the heart, to
regenerate, sanctify, and keep it; a state of reconciliation to Go through Christ; the power of disposition to exercise saving faith and
to live the Christian life; any spiritual gift or attainment . See CHARISMA. 5. A short prayer before of after a meal. 6. Something
granted in the exercise of favor or discretion and not as of right. 7. A courteous or gracious demeanor; graciousness; demeanor in
general. 8. Music an ornament or embellishment, as a trill, turn, or the like. 9 Obs. Physical virtue or efficiency. See synonyms under
FAVOR, MERCY.”
In the original Hebrew John 1:16 reads “Out of the fullness of Him we all received, and grace on top of grace.” Jesus is the definition
of grace. We could not be who we are without grace.
All other major believing principles include an action by us, like hope, faith and love. Grace comes totally from God and does not
depend on anything in return. In the same way, if we act out our grace to others, it does not require (or depend on) anything in
return.
One of the key-verses of putting grace into the right perspective is Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through
faith- and this not from your selves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”
When we show others grace we are showing others Jesus. When we interact with God's grace, the purpose is that we become like
He is; mirrors of God's grace.
Reward: The second part of this verse reminds us because of our relationship with Jesus we receive one blessing after another.
Realize in whom we dwell, we are not worthy to receive Hi blessings but only through faith in Him are we eligible.
Family Discussion: Go around the room and have each person
share two blessing he or she is thankful for.
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Sunday, February 8, 2015
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Day Twenty-nine: Finishing Faith
Memory Verse:
“We have around us many people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give
up...” Hebrews 12:1 (NCV)
“Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I strain to reach the end of the race…“ Philippians 3:13-14 (TLB)
Those who follow Jesus' commandment entirely, who let Jesus' yoke rest on them without resistance, will find the burden they must
bear to be light. In the gentle pressure of this yoke they will receive the strength to walk the right path without becoming
weary.…Where will the call to discipleship lead those who follow it? What decisions and painful separations will it entail? We must
take this question to him who alone knows the answer. Only Jesus Christ, who bids us follow him, knows where the path will lead.
But we know that it will be a path full of mercy beyond measure. Discipleship is joy.
Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle
and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. –Matthew 11:2830
Prayer for Today
Lord Jesus, only you know where my path will lead, but I trust that, even if I do not know either the way or the destination, you are
with me and before me, and I follow you with joy.
Family Discussion Question: What is Jesus' “commandment” that we are to follow? (See John 15:12)
·If this commandment is Jesus' “yoke,” how might we be changed if we bear it without resistance?
·Why might following Jesus' commandment lead to tough “decisions and painful separations”?
Children's activity: As a family determine a regular time that everybody can come together and pray as
a family, for the family. Have each member of your family pray for another member in the family.
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Monday, February 9, 2015
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Day Thirty: Finishing Faith
Memory Verse:
“We have around us many people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give
up…”Heb 12:1 (NCV)
“Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end. He did not give up because of the cross!”
Heb. 12:2 (GN)
There are three things for which the Christian needs a regular time alone during the day: meditation on the Scripture, prayer, and
intercession…
In our meditation we read the text given to us on the strength of the promise that it has something quite personal to say to us for
this day and for our standing as Christians it is not only God's Word for the community of faith, but also God's Word for me
personally.… We are reading the Word of God as God's Word for us. Therefore, we do not ask what this text has to say to other
people. For those of us who are preachers that means we will not ask how we would preach or teach on this text, but what it has to
say to us personally.
Prayer for Today
Lord, draw me to your living Word and let it be for me food for the journey.
Family Discussion Question: Why are meditation on scripture, prayer, and intercession so important to
the life of faith? What obstacles might stand in the way of taking time alone daily for meditation on
scripture, prayer, and intercession? How might they be overcome? How might “reading the Word of
God as God's Word for us,” rather than as God's word for someone else, lead to spiritual
transformation?
Children's Activity: Explain to your kids the meaning of Heb. 12:1 and as a family, memorize the
scripture and take time to have each family member recite the verse. Have each member of your family
pray for another member in the family.
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Tuesday, February 10, 2015
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Day Thirty-one: Finishing Faith
Memory Verse:
“We have around us many people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give
up…” Heb 12:1 (NCV)
“God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in His grace until His task within you is finally
finished…” Phil. 1:6 (LB)
This order and discipline must be sought and found in the morning prayer. It will stand the test at work. Prayer offered in early
morning is decisive for the day. The wasted time we are ashamed of, the temptations we succumb to, the weakness and
discouragement in our work, the disorder and lack of discipline in our thinking and in our dealings with other people․ All these very
frequently have their cause in our neglect of morning prayer. The ordering and scheduling of our time will become more secure
when it comes from prayer.
Prayer for Today
Lord, show me a time in the morning when I can listen to you for the day ahead and when I can talk to you for the day ahead.
Family Discussion Question: In what ways might “prayer offered in the morning” be “decisive for the
day”? Do you agree that many of the problems we encounter have “their cause in our neglect of
morning prayer”? Why, or why not? How can prayer lead to the “ordering and scheduling of our time”?
Children's Activity: Write about how you usually spend your mornings. What do you do before work or
school? Are you satisfied with the way you spend your mornings? If not, how would you like to spend
your mornings? Have each member of your family pray for another member in the family.
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Wednesday, February 11, 2015
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Day Thirty-two: Finishing Faith
Memory Verse:
“We have around us many people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give
up…”Heb 12:1 (NCV)
“This is why we never give up…our spirits are being renewed every day.” 2Cor. 4:16 (NLT)
After the first morning hour [of prayer], the Christian's day until evening belongs to work. “People go out to their work and to their
labor until the evening” (Ps. 104:23). In most cases a community of Christians living together will separate for the duration of the
working hours. Praying and working are two different things. Prayer should not be hindered by work, but neither should work be
hindered by prayer. Just as it was God's will that human beings should work six days and rest and celebrate before the face of God
on the seventh, so it is also God's will that every day should be marked for the Christian both by prayer and work. Prayer also
requires its own time. But the longest part of the day belongs to work. The inseparable unity of both will become clear when work
and prayer each receives its own undivided due.
Prayer for Today
Lord, when I go out to work may I go joyfully and with enthusiasm for the tasks at hand. May my work be good for me and good for
others.
Family discussion question: In what ways might prayer be hindered by work? In what ways might work
be hindered by prayer? How are prayer and work related to each other?
Children's activity: Reflect on the daily things you do. Is it satisfying and meaningful? Is it activities that
reflect your values and faith? In what ways does prayer support you in your daily activities? In what
ways does prayer help to shape your work and the way you do it? Have each member of your family
pray for another member in the family.
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Thursday, February 12, 2015
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Day Thirty-three: Finishing Faith
Memory Verse:
“We have around us many people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give
up…” Heb. 12:1 (NCV)
“Let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't get discouraged and give
up.” Gal. 6:9 (LB)
No rights they might claim protect this community of strangers in the world. Nor do they claim any such rights, for they are the
meek, who renounce all rights of their own for the sake of Jesus Christ. When they are berated, they are quiet. When violence is
done to them, they endure it. When they are cast out, they yield. They do not sue for their rights; they do not make a scene when
injustice is done to them. They do not want rights of their own.… But Jesus says, they will inherit the earth. The earth belongs to
those who are without rights and power. Those who now possess the earth with violence and injustice will lose it, and those who
renounce it here, who were meek unto the cross, will rule over the new earth.
Prayer for Today
Lord Jesus, help me to renounce my own rights for your sake. Give me the gift of meekness and make me an “instrument of your
peace.”
Family discussion question: What does it mean to say that disciples “renounce all rights of their own for
the sake of Jesus Christ”? Why would disciples “not want rights of their own”? Should followers of Jesus
be non-violent in their response to evil? In what sense can it be said that: “The earth belongs to those
who are without rights and power”?
Children's activity: Are there any rights that you would rather defend than “renounce…for the sake of
Jesus Christ”? Explain. Have your kids do something for another family member (i.e. cleaning their room
or doing the dishes) something that is not their normal area of responsibilities. Something that coasts
effort and doesn't benefit them directly. Have each member of your family pray for another member in
the family.
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Friday, February 13, 2015
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Day Thirty-four: Finishing Faith
Memory Verse:
“We have around us many people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give
up…” Heb. 12:1 (NCV)
“Don't drag your feet. Be like those who stay the course with committed faith and than get everything promised to them.” Heb.
6:12 (MSG)
Goods are given to us to be used, but not to be stored away. Just as Israel in the desert received manna daily from God and did not
have to worry about food and drink, and just as the manna which was stored from one day for another rotted, so should Jesus'
disciples receive their share daily from God. But if they store it up as lasting treasure, they will spoil both the gift and themselves.
The heart clings to collected treasure. Stored–up possessions get between me and God. Where my treasure is, there is my trust, my
security, my comfort, my God. Treasure means idolatry.
But where is the boundary between the goods I am supposed to use and the treasure I am not supposed to have? If we turn the
statement around and say, What your heart clings to is your treasure, then we have the answer. It can be a very modest treasure; it
is not a question of size. Everything depends on the heart, on you. If I continue to ask how can I recognize what my heart clings to,
again there is a clear and simple answer: everything which keeps you from loving God above all things, everything which gets
between you and your obedience to Jesus is the treasure to which your heart clings.
Prayer for Today
Lord, may my true treasure be knowing you and following you. May nothing stand in the way of your love for me and my love for
you.
Family discussion question: In our consumerist, acquisitive culture, how can we know when enough is
enough? If “treasure means idolatry,” how might a community of faith both sanction and promote
idolatry? If we “loved God above all things,” how might our relationship to “all things” change?
Children's activity: Reflect (as honestly as you can) upon your particular idolatries, on those things (or
people) to which your heart clings in such a way that they get between you and your obedience to
Jesus. Encourage each member of your family donate something to a church or another family that
would be a blessing to them. Have each member of your family pray for another member in the family.
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Saturday, February 14, 2015
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Day Thirty-five: Finishing Faith
Memory Verse:
“We have around us many people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give
up…” Heb. 12:1 (NCV)
“To win the contest you must deny yourselves many things that would keep you from doing your best…but we do it for a
heavenly reward that never disappears. So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step.” 1 Cor. 9:25-26 (LB)
The disciples are needy in every way. They are simply “poor” (Luke 6:20). They have no security, no property to call their own, no
piece of earth they could call their home, no earthly community to which they might fully belong. But they also have neither
spiritual power of their own, nor experience or knowledge they can refer to and which could comfort them. For his sake they have
lost all that. When they followed him, they lost themselves and everything else which could have made them rich. Now they are so
poor, so inexperienced, so foolish that they cannot hope for anything except him who called them.
Prayer for Today
Lord, help me to lose everything for your sake and so discover all that I have and am in you.
Family discussion question: What kinds of poverty are there? In the life of faith, what is the point of
disciples being poor? Bonhoeffer asserts that for Jesus' sake disciples lose everything. Why would Jesus
want that?
Children's activity: Reflect on why you would (or would not) consider yourself poor as a disciple of
Jesus. Could you imagine yourself as ever seeing poverty as a gift? Why, or why not? Have each member
of your family pray for another member in the family.
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Sunday, February 15, 2015
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Day Thirty-six: God: Showing Up and Showing Off
Memory Verse:
“My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:19 (NIV)
“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”2 Cor. 9:6 (NIV)
God's blessings to us are not meant to end with us. His desire is that they filter down to others. This principle applies in all areas of
our lives. Did you know that God has a plan for the blessings He has given you? As God's children, we want to discover what His will
is for our lives, but so often we fail to consult Him about His desires for what He has given us.
The Lord generously supplies us with provision for our needs, and even our desires. I believe that one of His goals in blessing us with
so much is that we share our resources with others. If we purpose in our hearts to participate in His plans, He commits to provide all
we need to live and to give.
Just look at His extravagant promise in 2 Corinthians 9:8, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all
sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.” Now, that's a verse to claim as your own! Sharing our
blessings with others will never lead to deprivation. In fact, the Lord promises to increase the harvest of our righteousness and
enrich us in everything in response to our generosity. We can never out give God.
A hoarded blessing in never enjoyed as richly as a shared one. Using our gifts to meet someone else's needs glorifies God by
demonstrating His grace at work in our lives. Don't let His generous provisions and blessings end with you. Pass them on and
discover the joy of a never-ending cycle of blessings.
Family discussion: What Has God blessed you with as a family? How can you use those blessings to
bless others today?
Children’s Activity: Draw a picture of you sharing what God has given you with a friend.
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Monday, February 16, 2015
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Day Thirty-seven: God: Showing Up and Showing Off
Memory Verse:
“My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:19 (NIV)
God: “My ways are not your ways” Isa. 55:8 (NIV)
On Christmas Eve every year my mom buys a jigsaw puzzle for the family to work on together. Usually the whole family starts out
doing the puzzle together, but one by one people start to give up due to boredom or frustration. Eventually my sister and I are left to
complete the picture. I don't particularly love puzzles, but my sister loves them, and I enjoy working on it with her. I have so much
fun watching her and how excited she gets when she puts the pieces together. She opens the box, immediately begins separating
the edge pieces from the others, and putting them all into piles according to their colors and design. Then patiently, and carefully
she fits the pieces together until a scene gradually unfolds as one by one each piece is in its proper place.
One time our family did a rather large puzzle that took days to complete. With great excitement my sister slipped the last few pieces
in place, only to discover that the very last piece was missing! Has this ever happened to you? We looked high and low, but the piece
was nowhere to be found. I kept hoping that one of my brothers was playing a cruel joke on us by hiding a piece. But no, the piece
was simply gone, leaving us with an incomplete picture on the table. We were frustrated!
Much of life is like a puzzle. It's easy to focus on bits and pieces and fail to look toward the end result. Or when things don't seem to
come together and the gaps in the picture produce confusion, life may seem hopeless and out of control. Gradually depression and
anxiety creep in and steal away the joy and peace of the present, and the hope for the future.
Today I want to remind you that God is in control. He's the one holding all the pieces, and at just the right time, He can and will put
them in place to make a beautiful picture out of even the most difficult and trying situation. His thoughts are not our thoughts. His
ways are not our ways. His plan and purpose are much higher than anything you and I can comprehend. We can rest assured that
one day He will slip that last piece into place and the picture of life will be complete. With God, there are no missing pieces. What
comfort to know that He holds all the pieces in His sovereign hands. Not one of them is lost or misplaced.
Family Discussion:
When was the last time you felt frustrated, confused or like life was out of control? What happened to
make you feel that way? How can you, as a family, remind and encourage each other daily that God is in
control?
Children’s Activity:
Put together a puzzle, and think about how God holds all the pieces of your life and fits them together
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Tuesday, February 17, 2015
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Day Thirty-eight: God: Showing Up and Showing Off
Memory Verse:
“My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:19 (NIV)
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to
God- this is your true and proper worship.” Romans 12:1 (NIV)
Paul's admonition to the believers in Rome was to sacrifice themselves to God, not as a sacrifice on the altar, as the Mosaic Law
required the sacrifice of animals, but as a living sacrifice. The dictionary defines sacrifice as “anything consecrated and offered to
God.” As believers, how do we consecrate and offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice?
Under the Old Covenant, God accepted the sacrifices of animals. But these were just a foreshadowing of the sacrifice of the Lamb of
God, Jesus Christ. Because of His ultimate, once-for-all-time sacrifice on the cross, the Old Testament sacrifices became obsolete and
are no longer of any effect (Hebrews 9:11-12). For those who are in Christ by virtue of saving faith, the only acceptable worship is to
offer ourselves completely to the Lord. Under God's control, the believer's yet-unredeemed body can and must be yielded to Him as
an instrument of righteousness (Romans 6:12-13; 8:11-13). In view of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus for us, this is only “reasonable.”
What does a living sacrifice look like in the practical sense? The following verse (Romans 12:2) helps us to understand. We are a
living sacrifice for God by not being conformed to this world. The world is defined for us in 1 John 2:15-16 as the lust of the flesh,
the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. All that the world has to offer can be reduced to these three things. The lust of the flesh
includes everything that appeals to our appetites and involves excessive desires for food, drink, sex, and anything else that satisfies
physical needs. Lust of the eyes mostly involves materialism, coveting whatever we see that we don't have and envying those who
have what we want. The pride of life is defined by any ambition for that which puffs us up and puts us on the throne of our own
lives.
How can believers NOT be conformed to the world? By being “transformed by the renewing of our minds.” We do this primarily
through the power of God's Word to transform us. The Word of God, ministered in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, is the only power
on earth that can transform us from worldliness to true spirituality. In fact, it is all we need to be made “complete, thoroughly
equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16). The result is that we will be “able to test and approve what God's will is—his good,
pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2b). It is the will of God for every believer to be a living sacrifice for Jesus Christ.
Family Discussion: What does it mean to “not conform to this world”? How can you live as a living
sacrifice to God today?
Children’s Activity: Write down three ways that you can worship God through your life.
Example: 1. Listen to my parents the first time they tell me to do something. 2. Be kind to others.
3. Always try my best.
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Wednesday, February 18, 2015
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Day Thirty-nine: God: Showing Up and Showing Off
Memory Verse:
“My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:19 (NIV)
“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
When we look at these words of Jesus, we immediately find them to be the most revolutionary that human ears have ever heard.
“…seek first the kingdom of God….” Even the most spiritually-minded of us argue the exact opposite, saying, “But I must live; I must
make a certain amount of money; I must be clothed; I must be fed.” The great concern of our lives is not the kingdom of God but
how we are going to take care of ourselves to live. Jesus reversed the order by telling us to get the right relationship with God first,
maintaining it as the primary concern of our lives, and never to place our concern on taking care of the other things of life.
“…do not worry about your life…” (Matthew 6:25).
Our Lord pointed out that from His standpoint it is absolutely unreasonable for us to be anxious, worrying about how we will live.
Jesus did not say that the person who takes no thought for anything in his life is blessed— no, that person is a fool. But Jesus did
teach that His disciple must make his relationship with God the dominating focus of his life, and to be cautiously carefree about
everything else in comparison to that. In essence, Jesus was saying, “Don't make food and drink the controlling factor of your life,
but be focused absolutely on God.” Some people are careless about what they eat and drink, and they suffer for it; they are careless
about what they wear, having no business looking the way they do; they are careless with their earthly matters, and God holds them
responsible. Jesus is saying that the greatest concern of life is to place our relationship with God first, and everything else second.
It is one of the most difficult, yet critical, disciplines of the Christian life to allow the Holy Spirit to bring us into absolute harmony
with the teaching of Jesus in these verses.
Family Discussion: Is your relationship with God the primary concern of your life? If your answer is no,
how can you redirect your focus towards Jesus? Are you anxious about anything? How can you turn
your focus towards God and leave your anxiety behind?
Children’s Activity:Pirates use binoculars when they are “seeking”/looking for treasure. Decorate two
empty toilet paper rolls. Once decorated, glue them together to make your own binoculars. Pretend you
are a pirate “seeking” buried treasure.
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Thursday, February 19, 2015
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Day Forty: God: Showing Up and Showing Off
Memory Verse:
“My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:19 (NIV)
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” Galatians 6:7 (NIV)
Who we are today is the result of our past. By that, I mean our previous thoughts and actions determine, to a large extent, what
kind of people we become. Those who act wisely now will have insight in the future to make judicious decisions. Those who save
prudently are prepared for the needs of tomorrow.
It is a shortsighted person who thinks only of the here and now, and does as little as possible. Eventually, he will have no way to
avoid the poor quality and small quantity of his rewards.
Scripture puts it this way: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7). The
verse describes an unalterable law that affects everyone in all areas of life—family, work, and pleasure. It is both a warning and an
encouragement.
We Reap what we sow- This truth applies to everyone, including both Christians and non-Christians.
The principle of Galatians 6:7 is irrevocable; there is no escape, either for the believer or for the unbeliever. It is a law of life.
Did you notice how the verse begins? It says, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked.” Herein lies the root cause of the careless
and indulgent lifestyle of many people. They are deceived. They either do not believe the truth, or they think they will somehow be
the exceptions to God's laws.
To mock God is to turn up one's nose at Him or attempt to outwit Him. But this is foolish. Second Corinthians 5:10 says, “We must all
appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he
has done, whether good or bad.” If you were required to appear before the Lord's judgment seat in the next five minutes, what kind
of fruit would you be able to show?
We reap what we sow is a welcome news for those with good habits. But it is a frightening thought for anyone currently involved in
ungodly activities such as promiscuity, drug or alcohol abuse, neglect of family, or mistreatment of others in order to climb the
ladder of success. We would not plant an apple seed expecting to harvest oranges. Likewise, we cannot sow disobedience to God
and expect to reap His blessing.
Family Discussion: What are you sowing today? Have you thought about what you will reap as a result of today's sowing?
Children’s Activity:
What kind of plant does an apple seed produce?
a.
Banana
b.
Pineapple
c.
Apple
d.
Grape
What will be produced in our lives when bad things are planted in them?
a.
Good
b.
Bad
What will be produced in our lives when good things are planted in them?
a.
Good
b.
Bad
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Friday, February 20, 2015
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Day Forty-one: God: Showing Up and Showing Off
Memory Verse:
“My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:19 (NIV)
“For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14 (NIV)
“We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are." Acts 15:11 (NIV)
Early in his career, jazz player Herbie Hancock was invited to play in the quintet of Miles Davis, already a musical legend. In an
interview, Hancock admitted being nervous but described it as a wonderful experience because Davis was so nurturing. During one
performance, when Davis was near the high point of his solo, Hancock played the wrong chord. He was mortified, but Davis
continued as if nothing had happened. “He played some notes that made my chord right,” Hancock said.
What an example of loving leadership! Davis didn't scold Hancock or make him look foolish. He didn't blame him for ruining the
performance. He simply adjusted his plan and turned a potentially disastrous mistake into something beautiful.
What Davis did for Hancock, Jesus did for Peter. When Peter cut off the ear of one of the crowd who had come to arrest Jesus, Jesus
reattached the ear (Luke 22:51), indicating that His kingdom was about healing, not hurting. Time after time Jesus used the disciples'
mistakes to show a better way.
What Jesus did for His disciples, He also does for us. And what He does for us, we can do for others. Instead of magnifying every
mistake, we can turn them into beautiful acts of forgiveness, healing, and redemption.
The Lord understands how prone we are to make selfish and foolish mistakes. Still He forgives us and restores us. He uses even the
worst aspects of our lives for His glory. Jesus longs to turn our mistakes into amazing examples of His grace. Today, remember that it
is by grace that we have been saved (Ephesians 2:8). Just as He is swift and generous with His grace, let us be people who are quick
and generous to extend grace to others.
Family Discussion:When has someone extended grace toward you? How did it make you feel?
How can you extend that same kind of grace to someone today?
Children’s Activity: Memorize Romans 6:14 or Acts 15:11.
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Saturday, February 21, 2015
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Day Forty-two: God: Showing Up and Showing Off
Memory Verse:
“My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:19 (NIV)
“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of
course, you fail the test?” 2 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)
What is real?
The Christian life that is real will display several “essential features” giving evidence of a changed person. These features are very
clear in 1 John, where we see several “tests” that compare our lives to that of Jesus Christ… the “original”.
So what does it mean to live the authentic Christian life in which we allow God to show up and to show off through the way we live?
Well, many try to make it a very complicated issue, but God's Word makes it very clear. It does this by giving us a model for our lives.
Jesus Christ was clearly an original.
Think about the immense influence He had during the short time He walked on this earth. He is the model for all believers to follow.
We can know who Christians are by how closely the resemble the “original”. John had a deeper undstanding of the original because
he had seen, heard, and touched Christ. Through this life-changing encounter, he was compelled to live in a way that reflected the
mission of Jesus!
Today's challenge: Think about just one feature of Christ you wish you had (His patience, His joy, etc.) Hone in on that one attribute
over the next few days. Pray that God will reveal to you specific adjustments that can help you display more of this characteristic.
Doing this successfully will ultimately display more of who Christ is. You will impact and inspire more people than you could ever
imagine, by simply allowing God to show up and show off. The kicker is people will sense the difference without you saying or telling
them since it is becoming a natural part of your life.
Family Discussion: What does it mean to be an authentic Christian? How can you live as an authentic
Christian today (at school, at home, at work, etc.)?
Children’s Activity: As Christians we are to be real examples of Jesus Christ. Almost like mirror images of
Him that reflect who He is. We are to be boys and girls who live and act like Jesus. Have you ever played
the matching game? This was one of my favorite card games when I was a kid (and even now as an
adult). In this game you win if you find the most pairs of matching cards. Today, play the matching game
and think about how we are to be just like Jesus everyday, matching Him to the best of our ability.
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Sunday, February 22, 2015
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Day Forty-three: Following Directions
Memory Verse:
“Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper, and prolong your days in
the land that you will possess” (Deuteronomy 5:33, NIV)
Recently I saw a picture of some crocheted lacy hearts. I liked them and decided to make them. I copied the instructions, prepared
the yarn, and started. But something seemed wrong because the work wasn't looking right. When I checked the pattern I found I
was following it correctly, so I continued. I decided to trust that the instructions would help me produce the finished product in the
picture.
Happily when the pattern was followed through to the end, the result was like the picture. It made me think about the pattern that
God has set for our lives. God said to the captives in Babylon that he would set them free and bring them back to their land again.
We read, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope
and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).
We worship the same God and just as he had plans for His people then, I believe that he has plans for us today. We may have a
vision of what His plans might be for us. But as we're following Him we sometimes don't understand what's happening because we
can't see the whole picture. It doesn't always look like we're becoming the finished product we imagined. We must remember God
has the complete and final picture in mind. He connects us with different people in ways we don't expect. We need to trust Him
enough to keep following 'the pattern', which He sets out for us in His Word.
Then, one day, we will look back and see what God has done – how He has been working out His best pattern for our lives. All that's
required of us is to keep on following the pattern one day at a time and leave Him to create the picture!
*Devotional courtesy of Tanya Person, seedsofthekingdom.com
Family Discussion Question:
Examine your life right now; choose ONE thing that seems to be “incomplete,” as in, you can't see the
whole picture quite yet. What are some ways in which this is challenging to you? What are some ways
in which you can relinquish control and trust to follow the directions of God?
Children's Activity:
Come up with a simple art project to do in 5 steps. List those steps out for your child to follow, and walk
them through each step, explaining that the more steps they follow, the more complete the project will
be.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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Monday, February 23, 2015
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Day Forty-four: Following Directions
Memory Verse:
“Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper, and prolong your days in
the land that you will possess” (Deuteronomy 5:33, NIV)
I recently moved to a new home, and was in the process of getting all of my furniture set up. I had bought some pre-assembled
furniture from different stores in the area, but had seen a desk online at IKEA that I thought would look great in my house. (If you
know anything about IKEA—you know that NOTHING comes pre-assembled there.) So, I set out to purchase AND build my very first
desk.
When I got home and opened up the packaging, I became a bit nervous. There were bolts, nuts, screws, pieces of plastic shaped like
I had never seen before, pieces of wood with all sorts of different numbers on them… I began to feel as though I was a little bit in
over my head. However, I loved the look of the finished-product desk and was determined to get there.
As I began following the directions, picture-by-picture, I grew impatient in my own haste to see the finished product. I was an hour
into building this thing. By the end of it, I had completed my desk—or so I thought. Once I stood the desk right-side-up, I noticed
over in the corner of the room what appeared to be a small, shiny object. Moving closer, I discovered it was a screw, a rather large
one. And it belonged to component 3B of my desk, step number 22 in my directions pamphlet. I don't know how I missed it, but I
knew that screw was supposed to play a significant role in the structure and quality of the desk, whether it would hold up under
weight or pressure. So alas, I disassembled my desk, taking twice the amount of time, in order to get that screw in just the particular
position it was supposed to be.
Don't we sometimes do this with our own lives? Moving beyond the desk for a second, don't we sometimes have an end goal in
mind, and we just want to be able to get from A to Z, like, NOW? Do you ever feel like God puts an idea in your heart, or plants a
ministry opportunity in your mind, and you just wish it would magically appear rather than having to invest, build, follow
instructions, and lean on His wisdom through the process. I mean, we are 21st century people, we're used to drive-thru's and
instant text messages, we're used to having what we want, when we want it. We aren't used to a process. We aren't used to having
to pay so careful attention as to not miss a single solitary screw, in the process.
Scripture tells us, “You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully” (Psalm 119:4, NLT). When we do things in haste,
they're done sloppy. When we take God's Word or instructions impatiently, things turn messy. God is more concerned with the
PROCESS, than with the finished product. Following His directions DOES, indeed, matter.
Children's Activity:
Ask your child to build a house using a deck of cards. Walk them through the process, explaining to
them that in working with a deck of cards requires patience, attention to detail, and being careful.
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Tuesday, February 24, 2015
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Day Forty-five: Following Directions
Memory Verse:
“Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper, and prolong your days in
the land that you will possess” (Deuteronomy 5:33, NIV)
In Scripture we read, "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure everything out on your own. Listen for God's
voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track." (Proverbs 3:5-6, MSG)
Have you ever had a big decision to make in your life, the kind of decision that is sort of a defining moment for your future? Maybe
it was a job change, maybe it was to get married, maybe it was which college to attend or what career path to follow.
How did you make this decision? Did you consult some close friends or family members? Did you have a conversation with your
spouse? Did you seek out a mentor or financial advisor? Maybe somebody who you trust or look up to?
Before I had a relationship with the Lord, I would typically do all of the above when it came to making a big decision. I would weigh
out the pros and cons, whether it was smart financially, if it was a wise decision for the future or not. But at the end of the day, no
matter how many people or resources we consult, the decision is ultimately left up to us. We are alone in making the decision.
But something happens when we enter into a relationship with God, and we have access to the Holy Spirit as our Great Counselor
and our source of wisdom, direction, guidance and the like. I still do all of the above, I still think about the positive and negative
effect, etc. But, the beautiful thing about walking with the Lord is that we do not have to make decisions on our own. The Bible tells
us to lean NOT on our own understanding, but in all of our ways acknowledge HIM (Proverbs 3:5).
This doesn't mean that we should not consult resources and weigh out our options, and it doesn't mean that we are supposed to be
indecisive and never care about making decisions… But what it does mean is that we have God to look to for guidance. When we are
unsure of something, we listen for His voice. When we are uncertain about which step to take next, we look to His direction for
guidance. When we are unclear about where life is going to take us next, we follow His plans for our lives.
And when we do this, we are not led astray. Following the directions and footsteps of God is always the right decision. It helps us to
depend on Him, it helps our relationship with Him flourish. And it helps us to be confident of the decisions that we do make,
knowing they were made unto the glory of the Lord.
Children's Activity:
Play with your children using their train set, or hot wheels car tracks, or something else with a similar
car/track ensemble. Have them watch as you drive the car or train along the tracks, following the lines
on the road and the direction of the curves, always keeping on track. Explain to them that a life
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Day Forty-six: Following Directions
Memory Verse:
“Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper, and prolong your days in
the land that you will possess” (Deuteronomy 5:33, NIV)
“Follow me,” Jesus said. Peter looked at Jesus' gaze and paused. He had a decision to make. If he followed Jesus, he would leave
what he knew. Familiar routines, skills, expectations, friendships would all change. If he stayed, he would never know where Jesus
would lead him.
Follow me.
In this context, following doesn't seem so bad. Who wouldn't want to follow Jesus if He issued a personal invitation? But being a
follower of Christ also means following those He puts in authority over us, and lets be honest—they are not Jesus, at least not in the
way we expect.
Mary Slessor, a single missionary to the jungles of Nigeria in the 1800s, asked permission to marry a fellow worker from another
station. Her superiors denied her request, stating that both workers were needed in their respective areas. Mary accepted their
decision and continued in her work for the rest of her life alone. Unfair? But they didn't understand how lonely she was? How
dangerous could it be for a female?
As a result of her years of labor, a tribe of cannibals stopped eating their visitors, no longer killed twin babies, became believers in
Jesus, and elevated her to the level of magistrate within their community.
Like Peter, she had a choice. “Follow me,” Jesus said. Follow me into dark, insect-infected jungles. Follow me to people who proudly
invoke the very powers of hell. Follow me when decisions are made that you don't understand. Follow me when leaders are
imperfect, sometimes cranks and inconsistent, but also demonstrate my grace and mercy in their lives. Follow me when I ask you to
submit to authority as I submitted to the cross. Paul said, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” He also said, “You reap what you sow.” Sow
good following and you will reap good followers. Good followers actually lead other followers by example from a submitted heart
and an understanding that all authority comes from God.
Romans 13:1-2 declares: “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which
God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is
rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”
*Based on Pam Morton's entry in the Live Dead Journal
Children's Activity:
Invite your child/children to play a friendly game of “Follow the Leader”. Take turns being the leader and
the follower, explaining that as Christians sometimes we get to lead, and other times we get to follow.
All of it is done for the glory of God.
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Thursday, February 26, 2015
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Day Forty-seven: Following Directions
Memory Verse:
“Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper, and prolong your days in
the land that you will possess” (Deuteronomy 5:33, NIV)
“Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He
said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac; whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt
offering on one of the mountains which I shall tell you.” (Genesis 22:1-2)
Our difficulty is not that we don't know God's will. Our discomfort comes from the fact that we do know His will, but we do not want
to do it!
Sometimes we don't want to do it because we would rather do it our own way. Other times it's because we don't want to take the
time to follow each and every step.
When God first spoke to Abraham, His commands were straightforward. “Go to a land I will show you” (Genesis 12:1). This was a
simple and clear step. Then God led Abraham through a number of tests over the years. Abraham learned patience as he waited on
God's promise of a son, which took twenty-five years to be fulfilled. Abraham learned to trust God through battles with kings and
through the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
The pinnacle of Abraham's walk of faith was when God asked him to sacrifice the one thing that meant more to him than anything
else. Abraham's previous obedience indicated that he would have quickly and decisively sacrificed anything else God asked of him,
but was he prepared for this? God did not ask Abraham to make such a significant sacrifice at the beginning of their relationship.
This came more than thirty years after Abraham began walking with God.
As the Father progressively reveals His ways to you in your Christian pilgrimage, you, like Abraham, will develop a deeper level of
trust in Him. When you first became a Christian, your Master's instructions were probably fundamental, such as being baptized or
changing your lifestyle. But as you learn to trust Him more deeply, He will develop your character to match bigger tests, and with the
greater test will come a greater love for God and knowledge of His ways. Are you ready for God's net revelation?
*Based on “Obedience Step by Step” excerpt from Experiencing God Day-by-Day
Children's Activity:
Work with your children to come up with two tasks that will require something from them. The first one
should be clear and straightforward (i.e. Make your bed, fold your laundry, etc.). The second should take
a little more thought and a little more sacrifice (i.e. have them pick 1 toy to donate to a charity, for
another child in need). The activities should build, so that the child can learn how their trust in God
builds as well. patterned to follow after God follows every direction God takes you.
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Friday, February 27, 2015
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Day Forty-eight: Following Directions
Memory Verse:
“Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper, and prolong your days in
the land that you will possess” (Deuteronomy 5:33, NIV)
Interactive Devotion for the Whole Family
You'll Need:
-Blindfold
-Bible
-Obstacle course set up around the house
Activity:
Kids must navigate many obstacles as they grow in the Christian faith. Part of getting through these obstacles is following the
instructions of God, and listening to His voice. This Bible activity will challenge kids to listen to God's voice and instructions in the
midst of a chaotic world.
(Blindfold someone who volunteers to be led through the obstacle course. Then choose a leader who will always give the right
directions).
The object of this devotion is for our blindfolded person to make it through the course by following the leader's voice. The leader
will always give the correct directions, but the rest of the group is going to loudly call out wrong directions to drown out the leaders
voice.
Discussion Questions:
How did it feel to be blindfolded and not know which voice to trust? How is this like or unlike trying to hear God's voice in a chaotic
world? What things can prevent us from hearing the quiet voice of God?
Read aloud to everyone:
“The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to
his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and
his sheep follow them because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him
because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.” (John 10:2-5, NIV)
Discussion Questions:
How can we know which voice to follow? How can we become more careful listeners of God's voice? What are some ways God helps
us to hear His voice and speaks to us?
Prayer Together:
Let's ask God to help us listen carefully to His voice.
*Adapted from Children's Ministry Magazine
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Saturday, February 28, 2015
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Day Forty-nine: Following Directions
Memory Verse:
“Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper, and prolong your days in
the land that you will possess” (Deuteronomy 5:33, NIV)
Have you taken directions from someone and totally misunderstood what they said? This happened to me the other day. A good
friend gave me detailed directions to his new home over the phone. It was in an area that I was somewhat familiar with, but not
totally. I was anxious to see his new house, so off I went. I drove slowly reading every sign, but somehow I missed something. I was
totally bewildered. You might even say I was lost. That is hard to admit. I had the directions written out on paper. What in the world
went wrong? I drove around and around again, trying to see where I made the mistake. Finally, in desperation, I swallowed my pride
and called my friend. He laughed and teased me a bit but was happy to repeat the directions.
I couldn't believe it. I thought he said go right at the light, but what he really said was go right through (not at) the light. What a
huge difference that one word made in finding my way.
God showed me a lesson in my dilemma. Do I listen to His word correctly? Do I go off with missed information and find myself
hopelessly lost? Do I think because the area is somewhat familiar I don't need to listen attentively? Sometimes I get my directions
messed up. Thankfully, I can call and get the correct directions from God when I am lost. He, like my friend, is eager and happy to
give me the correct information.
Reading the Bible, praying, and then listening to what it really says can keep me going in the right direction. Isn't that wonderful to
know that we don't have to keep wandering around hopelessly?
“Show me the path where I should walk, O Lord; point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for
you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.” (Psalms 25:4, 5 NLT)
The next time anyone gives me directions, I will ask them to repeat them. If I'm reading God's word, I can reread the directions as
well. I can spend more time listening instead of talking when I am praying. Sometimes I need to hear things over and over again to
get it right. It is not a good feeling to be wandering aimlessly around with not a clue to where you went wrong. One word might
make all the difference. It did for me.
*Adopted from Kathy Schultz, “Directions for Life” CBN.com
Children's Activity:
Pick a spot that your child is very familiar with in the home, and ask them to give you directions on how
to get there. (i.e. the book shelf in their room, the downstairs laundry room, etc.). Ask them to write
down the directions, as specifically as they can remember, and you will follow them to see if you can
find the destination they were leading you to.
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Sunday, March 1, 2015
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Day Fifty: Don’t Stop Believing
Memory verse:
“…God does everything just right and on time, but people can never completely understand what He is doing.” Eccl. 3:11 (NCV)
“I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those
who less you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” Gen. 12:1-3
(NLT)
We all have dreams. We all have hopes. We all have those lingering thoughts that stir up our spirit when we feel God has promised
us something. Sometimes we wait for those promises for so long that eventually we no longer believe they will ever come. They
become stagnant in the back of our minds, but if they truly are a promise from The Lord, they never really leave, though we may try
to erase them—we push them out of our minds. A dream that's dreamed up specifically for you by God is something that he'll place
on your heart to remain there. Sometimes we dream up our own dreams for ourselves and claim it was spoken by God based on our
own desires. That's not the kind of dream I'm talking about. I'm talking about the dream that stirs a passion in your very soul, the
dream which bears fruit that will glorify God, the dream that runs parallel to His Word, and the dream that becomes clearer the
more intimate your relationship becomes with Him.
God gave Abraham a dream—a promise to be the father of many nations. He didn't just say that he would bless Abraham, though;
He said that through Abraham being blessed, others would be blessed as well. He told Abraham, “You will be a blessing to others.”
This implies that the blessing, and God's glory doesn't end with Abraham, but as God's promise to him is fulfilled, the results will
overflow into the nations, and they will be God's people.
It all comes down to God's purpose for His kingdom, and until we understand that, we will never fully catch onto the vision and
dream God has for our lives. We may not ever fully see and understand his promises and visions, but we can know that as long as we
love and follow whole-heartedly after God, He will work all things for the good of those who love Him, and through the fulfillment of
your God-given dreams, others will be blessed and come to know Christ.
Family Discussion:
Is there a dream that God has spoken over your life that you believe Him for? Is there a specific promise
that you've read in His word that you believe falls over your life?
Children's Activity:
Children can be given supplies of plastic cord and alphabet letter beads, to spell F-A-I-T-H. String the
letters plus other colorful beads and tie into a bracelet or necklace, of child's own choosing.
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Monday, March 2, 2015
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Day Fifty-one: Don’t Stop Believing
Memory verse:
“…God does everything just right and on time, but people can never completely understand what He is doing.” Eccl. 3:11 (NCV)
“So Abraham left as the Lord had told him to…” Gen. 12:4
Abraham was given a promise and a command. That first step of faith on Abraham's part to leave the comfort of his home displayed
immediate faith in God's ability to follow through with his promise.
James 2:26 clearly states, “Faith without works is dead.” Whereas we cannot claim to know Christ and not perform good deeds, we
also cannot claim to trust Him with our lives without taking steps forward in faith. The saying goes that for supernatural miracles,
“when we do the natural, God will do the super.”
Abraham took a big leap of faith, but sometimes it's even the smaller acts throughout our daily lives that lead us closer to His
dreams and desires for us; it's those mundane tasks that may not have any visible or immediate result—such as tithing, helping
those in need, or even responding with patience to that noisy neighbor who downright makes your blood boil.
Philemon 1:6 reads, “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith…” (NIV)
“Active.” The response of a devoted follower of Christ is not one that waits around limply in angst while we wait for God to deliver
his promises to us. No—our response must be an active pursuit of those promises, which in turn means it is an active pursuit of
obedience to all of His commands, so that our faith will shine through to those around us.
Family Discussion:
How hard is it to follow blindfolded? You can't see anything in front of you, and all you have to respond
to is a voice that is leading you into the unknown. It takes a lot of trust to obey that voice and continue
on, doesn't it?
Children's Activity
Blindfold the children and have them all follow your voice or sounds IN FAITH around a designated area
and the children should follow "blindfolded" and end up at the STOPPING area! Then remove the
blindfolds and have children follow the teacher to the ENDING spot again and how easy it was to
FOLLOW without the blindfolds.
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Tuesday, March 3, 2015
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Day Fifty-two: Don’t Stop Believing
Memory verse:
“…God does everything just right and on time, but people can never completely understand what He is doing.” Eccl. 3:11 (NCV)
I'm sure we can all agree that it would be nice if, when God gave us a promise, He'd scribble up a blueprint or timeline for us to
follow. More often than not, our nagging question to Him is, “When do I receive this promise?” We wait, and we wait, and we wait
and nothing seems to happen even though we were so sure it was God who spoke a promise into our hearts. Sometimes the hardest
test when it comes to taking the road to a God-given dream is simply time. Some of us can handle the hurdles, the heartache and
the struggle. However, many of us lack the patience to wait on God's timing. We assume that he's late and is somehow messing up
our dreams and aspirations.
Our memory verse for the week reminds us that God is never late. His timing may not make sense to us, but it is always perfect. He
always arrives when He intends to. Though waiting may be the source of immense frustration for us, He has our best interest close
to His heart. Sometimes he will make us wait because He loves us enough to allow us to grow enough to be able to handle the next
turn on the path He's laid before us.
“When hope was dead within him, Abraham went on hoping in faith… He relied on the word of God…” Romans 4:18
Abraham was 75 years old when God made the promise. Fifteen years later, God reiterated His promise to Abraham, and it wasn't
until ten years after that when Abraham was 100 years old that he and Sarah finally had a son. He waited a total of 25 years for God
to fulfill His promise.
Romans 4:18 continues to say, “Though it seemed Abraham's hope could not be fulfilled… he did become the father of many
nations, exactly as God had promised.”
What seems impossible to man is always possible with God. Scripture proves that God has a history of making people wait because
His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways.
If you're waiting on God today, just remember that you're not alone, and the end result is always worth it. Hang on.
Family Discussion:
Think of a time when you had to wait on God for something. Was it hard? What kept you believing for it?
Children's Activity:
Choose a craft that requires careful and patient work. Discuss how being patient led to a great craft in the
end.
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Wednesday, March 4, 2015
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Day Fifty-three: Don’t Stop Believing
Memory verse:
“…God does everything just right and on time, but people can never completely understand what He is doing.” Eccl. 3:11 (NCV)
“Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead… and Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he
didn't waver with unbelief…” Romans 4:19-20a (NIV)
Abraham faced the facts. He was old. His wife, Sarah, was old. And yet, they were told they were going to have a son, whose
descendants would equate in number that of the stars in the night sky. While facing these earthly facts that would normally have
been evidence to give up, he did not waiver in unbelief.
“How can a son be born to a man my age?” Gen. 17:18
While his mind was screaming the facts, and continuously showing him the impossibility of what he was believing the Father for,
God's promise also rang in his head. He knew in his heart that God was able to do what he had promised. As humans, we base our
beliefs and feelings on what our eyes can see, but God does the majority of his works within the unseen.
He does not lie. He does not give us false hope. If He has promised you something, keep having faith that He would see it through.
”God is not a man, so He does not lie. He is not human, so He does not change His mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has
He ever promised and not carried it through?” Numbers 23:19
Family Discussion:
Discuss what the word faith means to you and why. In what ways does God speak to you?
Children's Activity:
A game that removes negative memories from the past reminds children to have faith in God's guiding
hand. Tie empty tissue boxes to belts, placing four ping-pong balls inside each tissue box. Explain to the
children that these ping-pong balls represent past mistakes, failures, and bad feelings, and that with
faith in God's guiding hand, children can remove the weights of the past, leaving only a bright future. By
having faith in God, they will release the ping-pong balls without using their hands. Have the children
strap on the belts so that the tissue boxes are at the backs of their bodies. When you say, “go,” the
children will jump, dance and wiggle around to get the ping-pong balls to fall out of the tissue boxes.
They cannot use their hands.
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Thursday, March 5, 2015
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Day Fifty-four: Don’t Stop Believing
Memory verse:
“…God does everything just right and on time, but people can never completely understand what He is doing.” Eccl. 3:11 (NCV)
“Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a
burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will show you.” Gen. 22:2
Sometimes while we believe God for a dream we believe He's given us, it appears to fail. Sometimes we don't get that promotion.
Sometimes, that relationship falls apart. Sometimes, that family member still doesn't talk to you after fifteen years when that
argument happened. Sometimes in our dreams, we run into what looks like a dead-end. We ask God why, and fight Him, and we
thought that He would come through for us but from what we can see, He failed us. When we don't understand what God is doing
and why, it can wear on our ability to continue to believe in His promise, especially when things go awry or seem to go in the
opposite direction of what He originally said. But God always keeps His word, no matter what our circumstance looks like.
“While God was testing him, Abraham still trusted in God and His promises, so he offered his son Isaac…” Hebrews 11:17
Abraham, though God seemed to be taking back what He gave to him, still trusted God and was willing to obey Him, no matter what
the cost. He knew and understood that God had a plan through all of it, and would certainly keep His word. He believed that God
would provide. And He most certainly did provide.
God knows what we need. He sees our desires, our dreams, and our problems. He does not forget about us, and He does not leave
us hanging in limbo while we wait for Him. He is actively working on our behalf through each and every moment—even the ones
when we can't see His promises clearly.
Family Discussion:
Talk about a time when you obeyed God even when it was difficult, and you didn't understand.
Children's Activity:
Have a child create a sentence beginning with “I exercise my faith when I" and ending with an
actionable phrase, such as “study for a hard test.” The other children should mimic the action added to
the end of the sentence, such as by pretending to open a book to study. The first child should then
explain why that action requires faith, such as by saying, “When we study for a hard test, we have faith
that God will give us the power to memorize all the important facts for the test.” Have children take
turns so that everyone gets a chance to speak while the others react by mimicking the actionable
phrase.
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Friday, March 6, 2015
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Day Fifty-five: Don’t Stop Believing
Memory verse:
“…God does everything just right and on time, but people can never completely understand what He is doing.” Eccl. 3:11 (NCV)
“Don't lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not
withheld your son from me even your son, your only son.” Gen. 22:12
At just the very last moment, an angel appeared from the Lord telling Abraham not to sacrifice Isaac, his only son, at the altar.
Sometimes, God will ask us to do things we don't understand. It's those steps of obedience—those moments of blind, reckless faith
that leads us into God's promises for our lives.
“This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own
name that I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants…” Gen. 22:16
God will test our obedience and our ability to follow after Him through the most difficult, confusing moments of our lives. These
aren't the moments to be discouraged or lose hope, because often these most difficult moments are the moments just before our
breakthrough.
When God speaks of the future, it will happen. What happens in between the promise and the product is the growth process—the
journey. It's in this process that He prepares us for our breakthrough. It's also during this process that we learn to trust, fully lean on
and depend on Him.
Family Discussion:
Have there been times when you felt that God disregarded your pain and your struggles? How did you
feel? How did you respond? Would you share your story with the group?
How do you think that God has helped you to realize He always had your best interest in mind?
Children's Activity:
Children can write or trace big round bubble letters for the word TRUST! Then they can begin to frame
the letter TRUST with different colors, making an art piece of bright colors. The children can write TRUST
GOD FOR EACH JOURNEY on the top of their ART!
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living
FAITH
Saturday, March 7, 2015
FA I
I AA
l I v I n g
H
Day Fifty-six: Don’t Stop Believing
Memory verse:
“…God does everything just right and on time, but people can never completely understand what He is doing.” Eccl. 3:11 (NCV)
“Abraham believed in God who gives life to the dead and who creates something out of nothing.” Romans 4:17
God's power holds no limitations. He can do anything, and that knowledge alone should be sufficient in our walk in faith. Yet, for
some reason, because of our human nature, we still want more convincing than that. But if remind ourselves daily of His power and
what He is capable of—that He is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20), we will develop a strong
faith in Him and His word. His promises are absolute, and His power is more than efficient to see those promises through.
“He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises.” Romans 4:21
“What is impossible with men is possible with God.” Luke 18:27
Much of what lies before us is seen as impractical. We may receive promises that we deem highly unlikely. We may even deem them
absolutely impossible. Our faith may falter, but God's faithfulness never does. All things are possible with Him, and He is faithful to
His Word. He remained faithful to His promise to Abraham even after 25 years, and He will remain faithful to His promises to you.
We should rejoice, because we belong to a God who can do anything, and we have even more reason to rejoice because He has
given us promises in His Word that will never falter. That word, when we follow it, will always bring His glory into our lives.
“We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:2
Family Discussion:
Does God expect us to have reasons for believing in him? Why or why not? Give It a shot at citing the
memory verse!
Children's Activity:
Make a worksheet (use clipart or cut pictures from magazines) that has real and imaginary things. Have
children circle the objects they believe in. (Alternatively, make a list of real and imaginary things and
have them state which is which, or have them cut pictures from magazines showing both real and
imaginary items.
living
FAITH
59
Hilltop
Community Church
3118 Shane Drive, Richmond, CA 94806
510 223-2431
www.hilltopcommunitychurch.com