Laws and rules are important because they help us know which behaviors are right and which ones are wrong. Parents and teachers set up rules for at home and in your classroom, while elected leaders pass laws for our community and country. God gave the nation of Israel a set of laws to live by – the Ten Commandments. These commands form the foundation for many of our laws today. This week we’ll begin a journey through God’s commands for right and wrong behavior. Are you ready?

 

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Exodus 20:1-21
• Matthew 5:21-22

Let’s start it.

Think about the rules in your family, school, and workplace. What behaviors are right and wrong in each place? What happens if you break the rules?

Let’s learn it.

The Ten Commandments are the most important laws and rules ever given because God Himself wrote them. He gave the Ten Commandments to His people to show them how to have loving relationships with Him and with each other. They are God’s rules for which attitudes and behaviors are right and which ones are wrong.

The first four commands explain how to have a right relationship with God. He is the only true God, so only He should be worshiped. His followers shouldn’t bow in worship to any kind of idol, not even an image designed to represent Him. The name of the Lord should be used reverently, not disrespectfully. And one day should be set aside from our weekly routine to rest from work and focus on Him.

The last six commandments teach us how to live unselfishly as a family and as a community. Children should honor their parents. Spouses should remain faithful to each other. We should respect one another’s life, property, and reputation. Finally, God instructs us to be content and not want what belongs to someone else.

You may think you know all about the Ten Commandments, but there’s so much to learn by examining them carefully. In the next several weeks, we’ll look at the commandments one-by-one, and see what the New Testament says about them as well. For instance, read what Jesus taught about murder in Matthew 5:21-22.

There’s an old saying, “If the sin is wrong, then the road to the sin is wrong.” So, since murder is wrong, then the feelings of anger and hate that lead to murder are wrong. You see, the Ten Commandments are more than a list of do’s and don’ts. They help us identify sinful thoughts and attitudes. Once we understand clearly what God says about what is wrong, we can replace it with behavior that is right.

Let’s discuss it.

1. Which of the Ten Commandments are laws in our country today?
2. Which of the Ten Commandments are not considered important by many people in our society?
3. What happens in your family and community when these commands are obeyed versus when they are disobeyed?

 

Let’s do it.

God designed you to recognize Him as your Creator by worshiping Him alone and honoring His name. God also created your friends, family, and neighbors. You can have a loving relationship with Him by following His rules, which also makes it possible to have loving relationships with one another. That’s why God tells us what is right and what is wrong. His commands that say, “Do not,” keep us from behavior that would hurt us or others. When we obey what He tells us to do, our relationship with Him and our relationships with the people around us will grow stronger.

Will you listen carefully as we study each command? Start looking for wrong attitudes and actions that need to be corrected in your life. Which of God’s rules for right and wrong do you need to work on the most this week? The relationships in your family will be stronger as each of you develops a closer relationship with God.

Jesus set the perfect example of living each day with the humble heart of a servant – always helping people. If we say we are followers of Christ, then of course we should follow His example. Let’s find out how to serve our family, church, neighbors, and community by doing good deeds.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• James 2:14-17
• 1 Peter 4:10
• Matthew 5:14-16

Let’s start it.

How has someone helped you recently? How did it make you feel?

Let’s learn it.

Placing your faith in Jesus cannot be separated from doing good things. The Gospels tell us again and again how Jesus went out of His way to help people. It doesn’t make sense for a Christian to talk about believing in Jesus and then not follow His example. James, the half brother of Jesus, understood the importance of putting faith into action. Read what he said about helping other believers in James 2:14-17.

Does saying, “Be warm” or “Be full” help a cold or hungry person? Of course not! Being Christ-like means looking for ways to help. For your faith to be healthy, you have to unselfishly act on what you believe. It might mean taking time away from something you want to do or giving something you have away. You can also help by sharing your God-given abilities to help family and friends (1 Peter 4:10).

Acting on your faith not only helps people with their physical needs, it also helps them spiritually. Doing something good in the name of Jesus stands out like a light in the darkness. Check out how Jesus used that illustration in Matthew 5:14-16.

What do you do when you want to see in a dark room? That’s right – you turn on a light. It’s the same with your faith in Jesus. Followers of Christ should shine like a bright city on a hill that can be seen from far away in the darkness. We are the light of the world! Our good deeds bring praise and honor to our heavenly Father and help unbelievers to see Jesus more clearly. That’s why we do things like collecting canned food and coats for needs in our community. Every time you choose to help in the name of Jesus, you shine His light into the world.

So you see, doing good deeds is simply finding ways to put your faith into action. Good deeds can be small, everyday things or really big one-time events. Serving your family, church, neighbors, and community is something that every follower of Christ should do. Helping someone by sharing the blessings and abilities that God has given to you honors Him and points people to His Son – Jesus.

Let’s discuss it.

1. How can you serve members of your family through small, everyday good deeds?
2. What big, one-time good deed would help another person in your church?
3. How can you go out of your way this week to help people in your neighborhood or community? How can that good deed point them to Jesus?

Let’s do it.

The best place to start doing good deeds is right inside your own home. Sadly, we’re often the most selfish around the people we love the most. Be determined to help one member of your family each day this week. Before you know it, you’ll have a new habit. Who knows – you might even enjoy your time together more!

Also pay attention to the needs of people outside your home. Take time to really listen when a friend has a problem, and then look for ways to help. If someone in your church or neighborhood is sick, your family might be able to take that family a meal. Or, you could help a widow or single mother with something like yard work. Jesus helped to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of all kinds of people. As His followers, we should do the same. Remember this week – YOU are the light of the world!

 

For several months now, Family Time has explored ways we can love God and love people. We’ve learned that truly loving God means being committed to His Word, making prayer a part of your daily life, and worshipping Him continually. God then gives you a desire to love other people by connecting with a community of believers and sharing Jesus with nonbelievers. There is one more piece of the puzzle though. This month we’ll discover ways to live out our love for God and other people by having the heart of a servant. Let’s begin by looking at the greatest example of a servant – Jesus.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Philippians 2:1-11
• John 13:1-17
• Luke 22:24

Let’s start it.

What recent achievement are you pleased with? If you can’t think of one right away, ask your family to name something you’ve accomplished. 

Let’s learn it.

There are lots of reasons to be proud of your family and of yourself. Working hard and having strong character are just a few things that we can be pleased with because they also please the Lord. There’s a big difference, however, between being satisfied with a job well done and being prideful. The sin of pride creeps in when you take credit for your accomplishments rather than recognizing how God helped you to do it. Pride causes you to think you’re better than someone else.

If anyone ever had reason to think highly of Himself, it was Jesus. He is the perfect, sinless Son of God. Yet the Bible tells us that Jesus was humble – the exact opposite of being prideful. Have a family member read Philippians 2:1-11, and make note of the ways Jesus humbled Himself when He lived on the earth.

Even though He is Lord, Jesus became a human being, knowing all the time that He would be humiliated on the Cross. Not only that, but He lived each day with the attitude of a servant. He looked out for the needs of other people – the same people He would die to rescue from sin. A great example of His servant’s heart is found in John 13:1-17. Check out what Jesus did in this passage that shocked His disciples.

People in the Bible usually walked everywhere they went, so they needed to wash their feet when they went inside. Can you imagine how dirty your feet would get if you walked down dirt roads in sandals every day? The servant with the lowest position had the job of washing the feet of whoever came into the house. No servants were present because Jesus wanted to be alone with His disciples. Instead of humbly volunteering for the job of washing feet, the disciples had been disagreeing about which one of them was the greatest (Luke 22:24)! So Jesus modeled humility as a servant and washed their feet – even the feet of those who would shortly deny and betray Him.

No one else could ever accomplish what Jesus accomplished. He paid the price for our sins on the Cross, and He did it with perfect humility. Every day that Jesus walked on Earth, He gave us an example to follow. He showed us how to live with the heart of a servant.

Let’s discuss it.

1. Think about the accomplishment you mentioned in Let’s start it. How could that accomplishment tempt you to be prideful?
2. We have different customs than the people in the Bible had. What tasks today would be similar to washing someone’s feet?
3. Discuss ways that you can serve the people you spend time with each day.

Let’s do it.

Followers of Jesus should follow His example – right? Well then, we should approach each day with the heart of a servant. That means looking for ways to help others instead of focusing only on your own interests. In order to follow Jesus’ example fully, we need to be humble as well. Are you quietly competing to be greater than a sibling, a fellow student, or a co-worker? Or has someone hurt your feelings or betrayed your trust? Name one way you can serve that person this week. Close your time together by asking God to give you true humility and the willingness to serve people as Jesus did.

Every family has different traditions – ways of doing things that are handed down from one generation to the next. Traditions in our church family are great, too. But by themselves, religious habits and activities aren’t true worship. Let’s go to God’s Word and learn how to worship Him the right way. 

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Jeremiah 7:22-23
• Romans 12:1-2
• 1 Corinthians 10:31

Let’s start it.

What are your favorite family traditions and why? 

Let’s learn it.

Traditions can make the time you spend together as a family more enjoyable. The same thing is true in your church family. However, participating in religious activities doesn’t automatically mean you are offering worship to God. Religious habits are just empty actions if they aren’t backed up by obedience to God’s commands. That’s exactly what the Israelites did when they entered the Promised Land. Check out Jeremiah 7:22-23 to see what message God sent to His people.

Israel wrongly thought that worship was limited to the sacrifices they made at the temple. Their offerings to the Lord couldn’t be accepted as true worship because they were disobeying God’s instructions at the same time. We also sometimes confuse our church activities and religious habits with worship. Those things certainly can be worship if we’re living the way God has told us to live. The Apostle Paul said something very important about worship in Romans 12:1-2. Ask a family member to read those verses.

Did you catch that? Worship becomes an everyday activity when you choose to give what you do to God as an offering. The starting place is in your thoughts and attitudes. It’s much easier for your behavior to please God if you’ve allowed His Word to change how you think. Everything we’ve talked about today can be wrapped up in one verse. Who is ready to read 1 Corinthians 10:31? Go ahead and read that verse now.

Worshipping God isn’t limited to what we do at church. The things that make up your ordinary life can have new meaning when they are done for God’s glory. When you think about bringing glory to God with everything in your daily routine, then you’ve started to develop a lifestyle of worship.

Let’s discuss it.

1. Name ways that your family enjoys worshipping God together at church.
2. What everyday activities can you offer to God as worship?

Let’s do it.

Do you remember what we’ve learned so far this month about worship? Worship isn’t just singing praise songs to God or attending a church service. True worship begins by recognizing the Lord as the One and only God and loving Him with every part of who we are. Now we’ve learned how to participate in worship anywhere and at any time. Have you ever thought about the fact that anything you do can be an act of worship? By simply offering God each thought, attitude, and behavior, your life will be an offering that pleases the Lord. Decide on specific ways each member of your family can use what we’ve learned today to worship God this week.

Music is usually the first thing that comes to mind when we hear the word “worship.” While it’s true that we can worship God through music, the act of worship is so much more than singing songs on Sunday morning. Let’s look at what God says in His Word about what worship really is.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Deuteronomy 6:5
• Matthew 22:36-40
• Mark 12:28-30

Let’s start it.

How have you shown love for someone this week by doing something that pleased him or her? How has someone shown love to you?

Let’s learn it.

Moses gave the Israelites a simple definition of worship – love God. It’s a two-word command packed with the secret to living a life that pleases the Lord. Turn to Deuteronomy 6:5 in your Bibles and see how Israel was instructed to love God.

God’s chosen people were to love Him with all of their heart, soul, and strength. That meant loving Him with all that they had, with every part of their being, with everything they said, and with everything they did. What a big responsibility! If you are a follower of Christ, then you have that same responsibility. As a matter of fact, Jesus quoted Moses’ words when He was asked which commandment was the greatest. Read Matthew 22:36-40 and Mark 12:28-30 to hear exactly what Jesus said.

The most important thing you can do is to love God with your entire being. But how do you know if you truly love God? Let’s explore the four parts of your person that Jesus mentioned. Your heart and soul are your feelings and your desires. They reveal your true inner character. Giving your will to God helps you to follow His instructions instead of your feelings. God’s instructions in Scripture never change, but our feelings change all the time, don’t they?

Your mind is the center of your thinking, remembering, and processing of information. It gives you the ability to make decisions about what you will and will not do. Your strength supplies the energy to carry out those decisions. When your thoughts please God, then your actions will please Him as well.

God wants to create a desire inside of you to honor, glorify, and praise Him with your whole life – the parts that everyone sees as well as the parts of you that only He sees.

True worship shows up in how you live life each day, not just by what you say and do at church. Eagerly obeying God’s instructions without complaining or delaying is evidence of your love for God. Every moment, every decision, and every relationship should reflect how much you love God – that’s worship!

Let’s discuss it.

1. How can you use each part of your being – heart, soul, mind, and strength – to please the Lord?
2. Discuss how you can live out the words in your favorite praise and worship songs by what you think, say, and do this week.

 Let’s do it.

When the most important thing in your life is to love God, you’ll want to please Him. If you do your very best at school or at work because you love God, then that is worship. If you obey your parents because you love God, then that is worship, too. When you put someone else’s wants and needs ahead of your own because you love God – it is an act of worship.

But it’s impossible to truly love someone if you don’t spend time with that person. Spending time with Jesus through personal and family devotions will help you to know Him better and fall deeper in love with Him. Do you set your mind on loving and pleasing God first thing each morning? Try to put at least one verse of Scripture into your thoughts as each day begins. Consider playing praise and worship music as your family gets ready for the day. Then make every effort to live out what you have put in. Start this week to develop a lifestyle of worship.

Last week we learned how exciting it is to introduce people to Jesus. But there are so many people – where should we start? The Bible gives us examples of the people that the early Christians told about Jesus. Let’s see what we can learn from Andrew and Peter, two brothers who helped to spread the Gospel of Christ.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• John 1:35-42
• Acts 10:19-23; 27-35

Let’s start it.

Who is the first person you want to tell when something really good has happened? Why do you tell that particular person?

Let’s learn it.

We begin this week’s Family Time with a passage we looked at last week. Check out John 1:35-42 again to remind you who Andrew first told about Jesus.

The first thing Andrew did after meeting Jesus was to tell his brother Peter. That’s how the Gospel began to spread. Jews who believed Jesus was the Savior Israel had been waiting for started telling the people closest to them. However, God had something much bigger in mind. He wanted the Jews to share His love with more than just the people they loved and shared common interests with. Who did God send Peter to talk with in Acts 10:19-23? Why does the Acts 10:27-35 passage say this was so unusual?

God sent Peter to a group of people who were very different than he was. You see, out of all the nations on Earth God had chosen Israel to be His special people. In the Old Testament He gave them commands and laws to follow. Certain animals, people, and situations were considered unclean according to Jewish law (Leviticus 11), but the blood of Jesus shed on the Cross made it possible for both Jews and Gentiles to be clean before the Lord. By sending Peter to the Gentiles, God was showing that He loved all people and wanted to have a relationship with them too.

Andrew and Peter were faithful to share Jesus with the people they were the closest to and people who were very different than they were. In both passages we looked at this week, God used one person’s salvation to affect more people for His kingdom. Think about it. Over 3,000 people in Jerusalem received Jesus as their Savior when Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost – all because Andrew told him about Jesus. Then every person in Cornelius’ house received Jesus, and the Gospel began to spread to the Gentiles. God cares about the people who are closest to us, and He cares about people who are different from us. That means we should care about them too!

Let’s discuss it.

1. Who first told you that Jesus loves you? Who was the first person you told?
2. Think of people at school, work, or in your neighborhood who are very different from you. How can you show them this week that God loves them?

Let’s do it.

Just like Andrew, the best place for us to start sharing Jesus is with the people we love the most. Who in your family doesn’t yet know Jesus as their Savior? Decide right now to pray for them regularly, and then look for a time to tell them how you met Jesus and how knowing Him has changed your life.

Will you also pray for the courage to witness to someone that you don’t have as much in common with? Make an effort this week to pay attention to people that you might not have noticed before – like someone who eats lunch alone or who others don’t talk with much. God loves that person just as much as He loves you. If you don’t tell him or her about Jesus, who will?

Most of us want our family and friends to know Jesus too – we just don’t always know what to say. Let’s look at two of the greatest sermons in Scripture to see what Peter and Paul told people about Jesus.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Acts 2:22-24; 36-41
• 1 Corinthians 15:1-8
• Acts 17:22-34

Let’s start it.

Take turns telling your family about good news you heard or received this week.

Let’s learn it.

Everyone likes to share and hear good news. When Peter preached the first sermon after Jesus’ death and resurrection, he gave the crowd good news. Read Acts 2:22-24 and 36-41 together to see what Peter said to the people in Jerusalem.

Jews had come from all over to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost in Jerusalem. Even though they were religious people, they had not placed their faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. Peter warned the crowd that their dishonest and wicked behavior displeased God. He pleaded with them to ask the Lord to forgive them, and he promised that the Holy Spirit would help them live to please God. That day, over 3,000 people accepted Peter’s message that Jesus died and came back to life, proving that He was God’s Son and the Savior they had been waiting for. Now that’s really good news, isn’t it?

After the day of Pentecost, the story of Jesus began to spread. The Apostles and other believers shared the same message – Jesus died, was buried, and was raised from the dead for the forgiveness of sins. Before you continue, look to see what word Paul used for this message in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8. The word gospel means “good news.” After all, learning that Jesus paid the price for sin is great news!

As a missionary, Paul took long mission trips to share the message of Jesus with people in other nations who worshipped false gods. Ask a family member to read part of Paul’s sermon to the people of Athens, Greece, in Acts 17:22-34.

Since these men were not Jews, they didn’t know about the God of Israel as the crowd in Jerusalem did. So starting with creation, Paul filled them in on who God is and why He is the only One who deserved their worship and loyalty. Paul begged them to ask God’s forgiveness for their sins, because God will judge each person for either receiving or rejecting His Son. Even though some of them laughed at his message and only a few people in Athens decided to follow Jesus, Paul didn’t stop sharing it wherever he went.

When you tell friends about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, you are giving them good news. Our families and friends need to know that their sins can be forgiven, and they can have a relationship with God, who created them and loves them. Isn’t that the best news you can give anyone?

Let’s discuss it.

1. How would you share the good news of Jesus with a friend who doesn’t know much about the Bible or God?
2. Discuss ways you can start conversations about the Lord with friends.
3. Brainstorm short phrases you can use to share your faith while waiting in line, checking out, or getting a haircut. Where else can you be a witness for the Lord?

Let’s do it.

The best news in the world is that God loves us and sent His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins. Write out John 3:16 on index cards or sticky notes and place them where family members can see them throughout the week. If you don’t already know that verse from memory, make an effort to memorize it this week. Then you’ll have the good news on the tip of your tongue, ready to share with the people you meet.

We’ve talked for a few weeks about how to pray and what to pray. This week we’ll look at a few Scriptures that tell us who we should pray for.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• James 5:16
• 1 Timothy 2:1-4
• Ephesians 6:19-20
• Luke 6:27-28
• Romans 10:1

Let’s start it.

Moving clockwise, have family members say a name as quickly as they can. It can be someone they know – like a friend or a teacher – or a person they’ve seen on television or heard about in the news. Keep going until one of you hesitates before answering.

Let’s learn it.

How did you do? It’s amazing to think of how many names we have stored in our heads, isn’t it? Did your family name friends who also believe in Jesus? Spending time with Christian friends alerts you about how to pray for them. What does James 5:16 tell us about how to pray for other believers? You can pray for a sick friend to get well or for friends going on vacation to have a safe trip. You can even pray for God to show them ways they have disobeyed Him.

For another important way to pray for Christian friends, read Paul’s personal prayer request in Ephesians 6:19-20. If Paul – the greatest missionary who ever lived – needed prayer for boldness to talk about Jesus, then so do our friends and so do we! Paul not only prayed that he would share the gospel of Jesus, he also prayed for the unbelievers who heard it. What did he pray for his unbelieving countrymen in Romans 10:1? Do you have friends who haven’t yet received Jesus’ gift of salvation? Pray for boldness to talk to them about Jesus and about how much God loves them.

Most of us are quick to pray for the people we know, but we sometimes forget to pray for the leaders of our country, schools, churches, and workplace. Did you remember to name any of these people in Let’s start it? Look at what Paul wrote to Timothy about this group of people in 1Timothy 2:1-4. It’s important to give thanks to God for the people who have authority over you and to ask God to guide them with truth.

Jesus Himself gave instructions about praying for another group of people. What four words does He use to describe them in Luke 6:27-28? Having a godly attitude toward people who hate you, curse you, and mistreat you does not come naturally. It’s easier to be kind and loving to even those people when you pray for them regularly. As you pray for people who seem to be against you, ask the Lord to help you to respond to them in a way that honors Him.

Followers of Christ have the privilege to talk with God. We also have the responsibility to pray for other people. The Apostle Paul summed it up best when he said to pray, “for everyone” (1 Timothy 2:1). Wow! Praying for all people is a big responsibility, but it’s also a great privilege. Of course, it would be impossible to pray all at one time for every person you know or have ever heard of. That’s why the Bible instructs us to pray “all the time” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). That means that we should always be in an attitude of prayer. When a friend comes to your mind, you don’t have to stop and close your eyes to pray. You can simply ask God silently from your heart to help that friend.

Let’s discuss it.

1. Think about the names you mentioned in Let’s start it. Try to match some of their names with one of the groups we just talked about: believers, unbelievers, authorities, and those who mistreat you. How can you pray for each group?
2. Which of these people have an immediate need for prayer because of an illness or some kind of trouble?
3. Who makes decisions that affect you and your family? How can you pray for those leaders and authorities this week?

 

Let’s do it.

Let’s practice everything we’ve learned this month about prayer. Remember to start your family prayer time by praising God for who He is, and then thank Him for what He has done. Use 1 John 1:9 as your spiritual bar of soap to ask for God’s forgiveness. Pray again for the requests your family members have mentioned over the last few weeks. Finally, pray for the people you talked about in Let’s discuss it this week (as many of them as you can!). End your prayer in the name of Jesus, showing that you want your requests to glorify and honor His plans.

God has the right to say “Yes,” “No,” or “Wait” to anything we ask of Him because He is the Lord God Almighty. It’s hard to understand why God sometimes says “Wait” or “No” to good things – like healing someone who is sick. However, we can trust that He is able to bring something good out of even the worst situation. Let’s take a look at when God says “Yes” to our prayers.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Matthew 6:9-13
• 1 John 5:14-15
• John 14:13-14

Let’s start it.

How do you want your family to pray for you, personally? Get a piece of paper and write down one personal prayer request from each member of the family. We will pray about these requests at the end of the devotion.

Let’s learn it.

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He gave them a model prayer as a pattern to follow. We started looking at Jesus’ model prayer last week. Have you worked on reciting it this week? Have a family member read Matthew 6:9-13 to refresh your memory.

Today we’ll take a closer look at verse 10. Go ahead and read that verse again. We talked last week about praising God’s character traits at the beginning of our prayer time. If we believe that He is the Lord of Heaven and Earth and that His character and plan are perfect, then we should want His will to be done everywhere – including in our own lives. Look at what the Apostle John wrote in 1 John 5:14-15 about our prayer requests.

Did you catch the key to answered prayer? John encourages us to pray for things that agree with God’s will. Read what else Jesus said about prayer in John 14:13-14.

Have you heard someone end a prayer by saying, “I ask these things in Jesus’ name”? Praying in the name of Jesus declares that He is God. It shows that you choose to follow His example to glorify the heavenly Father by obeying His commands. Praying in Jesus’ name announces that you want God’s will to be done. It means that the things that are important to Jesus are important to you, too.

Prayer and Bible reading go together like two lanes on the communication road between God and us. We hear from God and learn more about Him by reading Scripture. As we obey His Word, we become more like His Son, Jesus. Then we express our concerns to Him through prayer, wanting what God wants more than any selfish desires we have. If God says “No” or “Wait” during a difficult time, remember that He can be honored as others watch how you trust Him.

Let’s discuss it.

1. What things do you already know from Scripture about God’s character and His plan for people? Based on those things, brainstorm ways you can pray according to God’s will.
2. Look back at the prayer requests you wrote down during Let’s start it. How does your request honor and glorify God? What do you need to change about your request in order for it to line up with God’s Word?

Let’s do it.

Concentrate your prayer time this week on things that will honor and glorify your heavenly Father. First, find out what God has already said in the Bible about what you are asking. Then, instead of asking God to change His mind, ask Him to change your heart to match His will.

Close your family devotion by practicing what we’ve learned about prayer together. Begin your prayer time by praising some of the names and qualities of God – as we learned last week. Then move on to the requests you’ve written down during this devotion. How does each request honor God so that it can be asked in Jesus’ name? Ask each family member to pray for another member’s request.

We’ve been learning that our community of believers can be compared to our human bodies and families. God chose those illustrations because we can all identify with them. For instance, think about ways you protect your body from things that would cause pain … or the way you still love your family members even though you might disagree with them from time to time. Let’s explore what should happen when Christians disagree.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Ephesians 4:1-7; 11-16

Let’s start it.

Do you remember last week’s activity? Share how you helped or encouraged someone last week.

Talk about the things members of your family have in common and the ways you are different from each other. How do the differences sometimes cause disagreements?

Let’s learn it.

The members of God’s family are as unique as the members of your human family; so He knew that disagreements would sometimes come up in your church family just as they do in your human family. God made sure we had instructions about what to do when that happens. Read Ephesians 4:1-7 together and look for the instructions in those verses.

Since believers share the same Father, Savior, and Spirit, we ought to do whatever it takes to live lovingly, peacefully, humbly, and patiently with one another. After all, God is loving, forgiving, and patient with us – right? Being patient means that you choose to complain less and control your temper more. Learning to not get annoyed or upset helps you to get along better with people who are different from you. All of those things are proof that you are growing up and becoming more mature. What does Ephesians 4:11-16 say about becoming a mature follower of Christ?

We learned last week that love for one another should be the first thing people notice about Jesus’ followers. Really loving others helps you to be patient with them, and patience changes how you speak to them. You see, how you say something is just as important as what you say. When truth is said harshly, it hurts people’s feelings; but when truth is said gently, it helps them mature as followers of Christ.

Did you notice that the Apostle Paul used the illustration of the human body for the church again? This time he specifically named Jesus as the Head of the body. Every member of the church receives instructions from the Head, just as your brain tells the rest of your body what to do. Something is wrong if your hand or your foot does whatever it wants to do, ignoring the messages from your brain! When each member of the body of Christ is doing what He has said to do, then the entire body is healthy. As a result, we learn to gently and lovingly solve our differences with other believers.

Let’s discuss it.

1. Name ways that God has been patient, forgiving, and loving with you. How should that change how you respond to your brothers and sisters in Christ?
2. Take turns saying the following phrases in different tones of voice. Which tones sound loving and patient? Which ways sound hurtful?
   1. Would you please pass the butter?
   2. Can you please stop doing that?
3. What caused you to complain or lose your temper recently? How could you have handled that situation with more patience?

Let’s do it.

Think of one way that God has shown you love and forgiveness recently. Will you try to remember that thought when you start to grow impatient or annoyed with someone else? Listen to your tone of voice when a disagreement comes up at home, at school, or at work. Remind yourself of Christ’s instructions by reading the Bible every day. Will others be able to tell by your patient and kind attitude that you are a follower of Jesus?

Last week we learned that each believer is part of the body of Christ with a job to do. Did you know there are so many ways that we can help our community of believers? This week we’re going to talk about how we can make a huge difference in the lives of others if we decide to jump in and be an active part of the body of Christ.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Romans 12:4-8
• Ephesians 4:11-13
• 1 Peter 4:10-11

Let’s start it.

Have each person name things that other family members are especially good at doing. Don’t be shy; now is the time to brag on each other!

Let’s learn it.

At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit gives every follower of Christ at least one spiritual gift. These gifts are not natural talents – they are special abilities that the Spirit of God gives us. He also gives us the skills and strength to use those gifts to do God’s work. Go ahead and open your Bibles or follow the link to Romans 12:4-8 and Ephesians 4:11-13. This is a great opportunity to learn to find passages in the Bible.

There are speaking gifts, and there are serving gifts. It’s a little easier to spot some of the speaking gifts; many of those people are often in front of others. For example, God gives us evangelists, pastors, and teachers with the ability to clearly explain what the Bible means. They help us to grow in Jesus and prepare us to serve each other in the church. Some believers with speaking gifts might not be quite as visible, like those who quietly speak encouraging words to the people around them.

The serving gifts are a little harder to see. Just think of all the people who work behind the scenes to help with your student and children’s ministries, or think of the people who make it possible for your pastor to preach each week. Others give generously to mission work and to people in need. That doesn’t mean that only people with the gift of giving should give or that only those with the gift of encouraging should ever encourage. It just means that those things are easier for them to do, so they should work hard to use their gifts as God directs them. Ask a family member to read 1 Peter 4:10-11 to discover the purpose of spiritual gifts.

Your spiritual gifts are meant to help the family of God and bring praise to Jesus Christ. Each member of the body of Christ needs the other members to fulfill his or her purpose. When the people in your church use their spiritual gifts to cheerfully minister to the other members, the body of Christ is healthy and the Lord is honored.

Let’s discuss it.

1. As we discussed last week, different parts of the human body are connected with roles in the church (for example, mouth suggests teachers and preachers). As a family, try to match parts of the body and roles in the church with the spiritual gifts listed in today’s Bible passages (Romans 12:4-8, Ephesians 4:11-13, and 1 Peter 4:10-11).
2. What spiritual gifts do you think members of your family have been given?

Let’s do it.

It’s very important to use your spiritual gifting in the power of the Holy Spirit. You will draw attention to yourself rather than to Jesus when you try to use your gift(s) without God’s help. Since God gave you the gift, He will also help you to use it with humility and to appreciate the spiritual gifts of others. How can you use your gifts to contribute to your community of believers this week?

This month we’ve learned that the Bible is true and trustworthy information from the heart of God. We’ve talked about how to meditate on Scripture with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and we’ve discussed ways to practice what the Bible says. It’s clear that we should build our lives on a commitment to Scripture, but today’s devotion unlocks the key reason for our obedience to God’s Word.

Be ready to read the following passage:

• Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Let’s start it.

Ask each family member to share a favorite verse or passage of Scripture and tell why it means something special to him or to her. (Type key words into a search engine if you need help finding a verse.)

Let’s learn it.

Begin by reading Deuteronomy 6:1-9 together. Moses had just reminded the Israelites of the Ten Commandments and the other and laws God had given to His people (Deut. 5:6-21, 31). God’s law was to be in their hearts and always in their thoughts as a reminder of how He wanted them to live. Moses told them to love God completely and to show that love by honoring Him with everything they said and did.

Parents had the added responsibility to teach their children to know the Lord and to love and obey Him. Moses encouraged parents to repeat the truths of God’s Word at every opportunity so children would understand and obey His commandments. Scripture was to be taught in their day-to-day experiences at home so it would influence every part of their lives. Their love for God was shown by how well they obeyed His Word.

Your reason for obeying the Bible says a lot about you. Maybe you follow the Lord’s instructions simply because He’s God, and you always try to follow the rules. Perhaps you obey in hopes of getting the things you want from God. It’s good to recognize God’s authority, but He wants more than just your outward obedience. God wants you to obey Him because you love Him with every part of your being. It’s impossible to love God completely if you ignore His Word. As a matter of fact, truly loving the Lord with your whole heart is the best motivation for obedience.

Let’s discuss it.

1. How does your family show love for God and His Word?
2. Think back on the last week. What situation gave you a natural opportunity to talk about what God says in the Bible? Did you take that opportunity?
3. How can parents teach their kids to know, love, and obey the Lord? Name ways that your parents have taught you to honor God.

Let’s do it.

Like the Israelites, we constantly need to be reminded of what God’s Word says. One of the best ways to do that is to put verses of Scripture where you can see them every day. Think of ways you can display the Bible verses you mentioned in Let’s start it so that the entire family can see them this week. You can use a verse in an art project, put it on a T-shirt, or simply write it on an index card for the refrigerator. You may even choose a special verse to display on the wall in the kitchen or family room.

Parents, will you take seriously the responsibility to teach God’s Word to your children? Kids, will you show your love for Jesus by obeying your parents and obeying Scripture? Try your best this week to honor the Lord with everything you say and do.

You probably have schoolbooks that give you information on subjects like math, science, and history. Lots of books can help to make you smart, but only God’s Word can make you wise. Having wisdom means seeing the world and your life through God’s eyes and doing as He says to do. But how can we do this?

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Proverbs 1:1-7
• Psalm 119:97-105

Let’s start it.

Ask members of your family to tell about something they have learned from reading a book.

Let’s learn it.

The Old Testament tells us about a king named Solomon. He is often called the wisest man who ever lived. Many of the thoughts that God gave to Solomon are found in the book of Proverbs. Pause here and read Proverbs 1:1-7 aloud.

Proverbs is like an instruction manual for becoming wise and living to please God. It encourages us to do what is right, warns us not to do what is wrong, and teaches us to have self-control. Solomon’s father, King David, taught him to turn to God’s Word for guidance. What did David say about Scripture in Psalm 119:97-105? The Bible gives us wisdom and understanding because the One who gave it to us also created the entire world, including us. That doesn’t mean, though, that you become wise by simply opening the Bible and casually reading the words.

When you love someone, you want to hear what he or she has to say. The psalmist loved God, so he also loved God’s Word. He spent time reading God’s laws and then meditated on them by thinking about what each one meant. He went over them again and again in his thoughts. When you meditate on what God’s Word says, the Holy Spirit will help you to understand what it means.

Knowing facts about the Bible still doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be wise. True wisdom comes from choosing to obey what God says – not because you have to, but because you love what is right and hate what is wrong. When you’re not sure what to do, God uses His Word to guide you. It’s like a bright light shining on a dark path so you can see where you’re going. You can become wiser than the smartest people you know, simply by following God’s instructions. You see, there’s a difference between being “smart” and being “wise.” Information from books gives you knowledge, and we all need knowledge; but godly wisdom is knowing how to use that information in the right way every day.

Let’s discuss it.

1. Share something you’ve learned from the Bible, and name ways you can wisely use that information in your life this week.
2. Do you have a problem with a friend or a situation at school that you don’t know what to do about? What warning, promise, or command from the Bible guides you and helps you know what to do?

Let’s do it.

Wisdom comes from spending time in God’s Word and then following the instructions you find there. We learned today that the book of Proverbs is especially helpful when you need wisdom. How many chapters are in Proverbs?

Try reading one chapter of Proverbs each day for a month. Each chapter is packed with ideas you can put into action each day. Write down the things you learn so you can remember to use them at school, at church, and in your neighborhood. Don’t just read about wisdom this week – pray for God to make you wise. Then practice doing what He shows you!

The Bible is how God tells us what He is like, how much He loves us, and how we can know Him. God’s Word also tells us how to please Him with our thoughts, attitudes, and actions. The Bible is clearly a very important book, but where did it come from? 

Be ready to read the following passages:

• 2 Peter 1:20-21
• John 5:39-40
• 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Let’s start it.

For over 1,500 years the Holy Spirit inspired 40 different men to write down God’s instructions and the stories of His people. Set a timer for 15 seconds and see how many of those 40 writers your family can name. Go!

Let’s learn it.

Many books of the Bible are named after the men who wrote them (like Isaiah and Luke) or for the group of people they were written to (like Romans and Ephesians). The Apostle Peter tells us how the writers of the Old Testament knew what to say to the nation of Israel. Take a moment to read 2 Peter 1:20-21 before continuing. God’s Spirit rested on godly men and told them what God wanted His people to know.

The books of the Old Testament were copied onto scrolls and taught to the Jewish people year after year, yet they still didn’t understand what God was trying to teach them. Many Jews thought they would go to Heaven if they could obey exactly what Scripture said – but it was impossible for even the best person to live without sinning. What did Jesus tell them about Scripture in John 5:39-40?

They would go to Heaven by believing that Jesus is God’s Son and by trusting Him as Savior, not by trying to be good people. The Holy Spirit guided some of Jesus’ disciples to write about other things Jesus said and did, about what happened after He went back to Heaven, and about how He expects His followers to live. Ask a family member to read 2 Timothy 3:16-17 before you continue.

For hundreds of years, scribes and monks continued to copy the writings of the Old and New Testaments by hand, but there were so few copies that only priests and pastors could read them. Then, in 1456, a man named Johann Gutenberg invented a way to print whole books much faster. The book most often printed was the Scriptures. Because of its importance, this collection was known simply as “the Book” (Biblos in Greek) – and is what we know today as the Bible.

Let’s discuss it.

1. The books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are called “the Gospels” because they tell us about the life and teachings of Jesus. Discuss what you know about God from these four books.
2. What have you been taught from the Bible? How has the Bible helped you to correct a wrong attitude or to better obey God?

Let’s do it.

Today, each of us can own a copy of God’s Word. You may even have instant access to the Bible on a tablet or cell phone, but knowing that we can read it any time can lessen our appreciation of it. Make a commitment as a family to treat Scripture with the importance it deserves by reading and obeying it.

First, make an appointment with God each day to read His Word and talk to Him through prayer. Ask each family member to share when they plan to have their time alone with God. Parents and younger children can set aside time together.

Next, decide what day and time each week you can have a family devotion. Choose a time when everyone can be there, and you won’t be rushed. The Bible is the most important book ever written. How will you show God this week that His Word is important to you?

John Sees Jesus Coming

As a family, read Revelation 7:9-12. Afterwards, share the following discussion.

What happened?

This section of the Book of Revelation can be challenging to fully understand. In chapters 6-20, events called the Tribulation judgments begin to happen. God unleashes judgments on the world and on the people who have rejected Him. These are the people who have never let Jesus into their lives to deal with their sin. During this terrible time on the earth, many people will give their lives to Jesus when they realize He is who He says He is – the only solution to their sin problem.

In Revelation 7:9-12, John sees a vision of a great multitude from every tribe, nation, and people from all over the earth who have given their lives to Jesus. Because God makes salvation available to anyone and everyone, we see people from all over the world – who speak every language and who come from every cultural background – getting to celebrate with God in Heaven.

Why is this important to us today?

Jesus went to the cross for everyone. He wanted people from every race and every background to know that through Him they can experience love and forgiveness. It’s important to treat people the way Jesus would treat them and see them as He sees them. It doesn’t matter if others speak a different language; it doesn’t matter if they have as much money as we do, or if they look different from us. They need Jesus just as much as we do.

People who are different from others in our society are often treated in a mean or unkind way. If someone is richer or poorer than we are, if someone has a different skin color than we do, or if a person has special needs, we can be quick to treat that person differently from the way we treat the people we care about the most.

Heaven will be filled with all kinds of people from all over the earth. Yet we have to remember that anyone who doesn’t choose to follow Jesus will face His judgment. God has surrounded you with people who need to know that God cares about them, that He created them, and wants them to invite Him into their hearts and lives – no matter who they are.

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions:

1. How have you seen people in your school or neighborhood treated unkindly because they are different? Why do you think that happens?

2. What are some ways you can encourage others as you see them the way Jesus sees them?

How can we better follow God this week?

This week, practice being someone who shows kindness to every person. Find those in your school, community, or neighborhood who are ignored, made fun of, or treated unfairly because they are different. Find something nice you can do for them (invite them to sit with you at lunch, take them a meal, or help them with a chore) and then invite them to come to church with you. Your kindness might be the very thing that encourages them to follow Jesus.

Acts 21-28 – Paul’s Imprisonments

As a family, read Acts 28:17-30 together. Afterwards, share the following discussion.

What happened?

Paul traveled constantly, sharing the Good News of Jesus with everyone he met. Paul was on his way back to Jerusalem when someone warned him that if he returned there, he would be imprisoned for his faith. He decided to continue his journey and allow the Lord’s will to be done. When Paul finally arrived, he was welcomed by the believers and told that many Jews had believed. One day a mob rose up and tried to kill Paul in the temple, falsely accusing him of preaching against the Jews. He was eventually arrested.

The rest of Acts tells how Paul was mistreated and kept in the custody of the Roman government. Paul’s case put him in front of several important people. Each time he shared what God had done in his life. Some people became really angry that nothing was happening with Paul’s trial, so they decided that they were going to kill Paul themselves. Rumor of this got back to the government, and a decision was made to get Paul out of town. He was sent to Caesarea where he was left in jail for over two years. After several trials, a decision was made to send Paul to Rome.

On his way to Rome, Paul’s ship was met with a fierce storm that left him and the crew shipwrecked on a strange island. On this island a poisonous snake bit Paul, but God did not allow him to die. Paul was able to share his story with the people of the island. About three months after the shipwreck, another ship picked up Paul for the journey to Rome. While there, he did not go to jail but was allowed to live under house arrest with freedom to share the gospel with all who would listen.

Why is this important to us today?

Throughout Paul’s life as a Christian, he was constantly persecuted for his belief in Christ. God enabled him to tell about Jesus in spite of every hardship. In fact, Paul testified about his faith before kings and rulers because he was arrested for following Christ. Today, Christians in all parts of the world are still persecuted for their beliefs. In some countries, the churches have to meet in secret because it’s against the law to be a Christian. In America, we have the freedom to worship God and go to the church of our choice. Sometimes that means being made fun of or being thought of as narrow-minded. Like Paul, God will use you in whatever situation you are in today.

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions:

1. When has someone treated you differently because of your faith in Christ?

2. Discuss how your family would react if being a follower of Christ and going to church were against the law.

How can we better follow God this week?

God has blessed us with the freedom to serve Him openly. Take a few moments now to thank God for the freedom to follow Jesus and not be persecuted. Also, pray for those who are being persecuted for their faith in Christ. Ask God to keep them strong and enable them to stand firm in their witness for Christ wherever they are.

Will you decide to stand strong and be a faithful witness for Jesus, even if it means that others make fun of you? How do you plan to use your religious freedom this week?

Paul’s Missions

As a family, read Acts 20. Afterwards, share the following discussion.

What happened?

God changed Saul’s name to Paul and sent him from town to town sharing the Gospel with people who had not heard about Jesus. He told them that Jesus came to earth to die for everyone, not just the Jews. He preached that everyone could be saved if they chose to believe that Jesus Christ is God’s Son and that He died for their sins. Sometimes another apostle would go with him to help him teach and preach.

In one town, Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into prison because their message about Jesus was spreading across the region. They were praying and singing in prison when an earthquake shook the ground so much that all the prison doors opened, and all the chains fell off the prisoners. When the guard saw that no one left, he believed their message about Jesus right there and asked to be baptized. Paul and Silas were released the next day.

During his missionary journeys in each town, Paul faced many hardships. He was persecuted, attacked, mocked, and chased away at times. But he kept doing what God asked him to do, no matter what the consequences might be. Paul wrote in Acts 20:24, “I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”

Paul was absolutely committed to fulfilling God’s tasks for him, and he did not care about what it might cost him. Obedience to Christ was his only goal.

Why is this important to us today?

Paul went from hating Christians to being one of the most committed and faithful Christians of all time. He knew God had forgiven him of his sins, and he wanted to make his life count for Jesus. He was not afraid of what might happen to him or whether people would like him or not. He shared Jesus with everyone he saw, every place he went.

Like Paul, our only goal should be faithfulness to what God has asked us to do, trusting Him to protect and provide. We cannot worry about what other people might think or what might happen to us if we obey. Ultimately, following Jesus is the only thing that matters.

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions:

1. What do you think was Paul’s motivation to tell others about Jesus?

2. How did Paul’s actions show that he didn’t worry about what other people thought about his belief in Jesus?

3. What would help you to not be scared or nervous to tell someone what Christ has done in your life?

How can we better follow God this week?

Paul said his only goal was to run the race that God had given him. This week, God has given you a race to run. He will provide opportunities for you to tell someone else about Him. You will have chances to make decisions that will either honor God or dishonor Him. Pray now and ask God to give you the strength and faith to choose obedience to Him, no matter what might happen because of it. Follow Paul’s example and make pleasing God your number one goal. Choosing to be obedient to God is always the best choice, no matter what!

Saul’s Conversion

As a family, read Acts 9:1-31. Afterwards, share the following discussion.

What happened?

In the early parts of the book of Acts, Saul was a very angry man who hated everything that the apostles were doing. He began trying to harm people who followed Christ and wanted to put an end to the church that was growing so quickly. Acts 8:3 says, “But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.”

Then one day, God changed Saul forever. Saul was on a trip to Damascus to continue spreading the word that Christians would be punished, when a bright light came down from Heaven. Saul fell to the ground and heard a voice from Heaven say, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Saul replied, “Who are you, Lord?” It was Jesus talking to Saul! He said, “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

The experience caused Saul to go blind. He had to be led to Damascus by his friends. It even says in Acts that he did not eat or drink anything for three entire days.

Then God sent a man named Ananias to Saul to heal him of his blindness. The Lord made it clear that Saul was going to be a man that God would use to spread the gospel to everyone! Ananias did as God told him to do, and Saul was healed immediately.

Right away, Saul started preaching that Jesus is the Son of God. No one could believe that Saul, the man who had persecuted Christians, was now preaching about Jesus. Some people did not like that at all, and they made a plan to kill Saul, but he escaped and went on to Jerusalem. There he kept preaching, and the church became bigger and stronger because of what God was doing in Saul’s life.

Why is this important to us today?

Saul had been against everything that God was for. He dedicated himself to putting an end to Christianity and the church. In spite of that, God chose to use Saul to do incredible things for Him. By changing one man’s life, God changed the world. Saul went on to write books of the Bible, witness to people in all parts of the world, and ultimately die for his faith in Jesus.

When people meet Jesus, He changes their lives. No matter how far away from God some people might seem to be, He still cares about them and wants them to know Him. No one is too far from God. Jesus came to save all people, no matter who they are or what they might have done before. Later in Saul’s life, he wrote, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: The old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor. 5:17). Paul’s life was a powerful example of how Jesus can change anyone’s life.

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions:

1. Imagine that your family lived in Paul’s day. What kind of conversation would you have about Paul coming to your town before his conversion? What about afterward?

2. How has your life changed as a result of knowing Christ?

How can we better follow God this week?

If God could use Saul, the worst of the worst, then He definitely wants to use you, too. Saul’s only job was to obey what God told him to do. God has plans for your life just as he did for Saul. Will you tell God, “Yes,” when He calls on you? What job has God given you to do? How can you do that job this week? If you are obedient to Him, then there is no limit to what He can do through you!

Acts 1 – Jesus’ Ascension

As a family, read Acts 1:6-11 together. Afterwards, share the following discussion.

What happened?

After Jesus rose again, He appeared to his followers several times over the course of forty days. He wanted them to know that He was actually alive. During that time, they asked Him if the time had come for Him to free Israel. As a nation, they had lived under the control of other empires for hundreds of years. They knew that Jesus was more powerful that any ruler on the face of the earth. After seeing Him rise from the dead, they knew He could do anything! So they thought that maybe He would defeat Israel’s enemies and set Himself up as the King of the whole earth. But Jesus told them not to worry about that right now. Instead, He wanted them to focus on a new mission.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus told His followers that their mission was to tell people about Him. They were to start in Jerusalem and then move outside the city to the surrounding areas. But they were not to stop there. Jesus told them to carry His message to the ends of the earth. Jesus knew that was a big job, so He promised to give them His very Spirit to live inside them. The Holy Spirit would give them the strength and courage to carry out their mission.

Then, while they were standing there watching, Jesus disappeared into the sky. He returned to Heaven to be with His Father. Suddenly, two angels appeared and said, “Why are you standing here? Jesus has gone to Heaven, but He will come back some day.” It was as if they were saying, “Don’t stand around staring up into the sky. You have a job to do. Someday Jesus is coming back, and the world needs to hear about Him. So don’t waste time. Get to work!”

Why is this important to us today?

As Jesus’ followers, we too have a mission. He returned to Heaven so that we could be His witnesses. If Jesus stayed on earth, He could be in only one place at a time. But, through his Spirit, Jesus is with every believer, and through us He can reveal Himself to the whole world. But each of us has to make the choice to share Him with our friends and neighbors. We can’t just stand around and idly wait for Him to return. We have a job to do!

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions:

1. How do you think the disciples felt when Jesus returned to Heaven?

2. How can your family take part in telling others about Christ in your city? In other parts of your country? In other parts of the world?

How can we better follow God this week?

It’s natural to tell others good news. When we get a new game or a new phone or get to go somewhere fun, we can’t wait to tell others about it. Well, there is no greater news than Jesus! He has forgiven us and is preparing a place for us in Heaven. He loves us, provides for us, comforts us, and guides us. He has given us everything we need, and we should share Him with others every chance we get. Pray that God will give your family courage to share Jesus with those around you. Who will you share His message with this week?

Mark 15 – The Death of Christ

As a family, read Mark 15 together. Afterwards, share the following discussion.

What happened?

Jesus had been healing, teaching, and helping people see their need for a Savior. He revealed to the people of Jerusalem and the surrounding areas that He is God, but now Jesuswas on trial!Pilate was the Roman ruler of Jerusalem. It was his job to decide whether or not Jesus was guilty of a crime deserving of death, as the Jewish leaders demanded. These leaders, so envious of Jesus’ popularity with the people, conspired to ruin His reputation by twisting Jesus’ words in order to turn people against Him.

Pilate wanted to please the crowds. So, he brought a murderer named Barabbas out of prison to see if the people would decide to release him or Jesus. But the people still wanted to crucify Jesus. He was mocked, beaten, and led to a wooden cross that He carried down the streets of Jerusalem to a place outside the city. This path became known as the “Via Dolorosa,” which means the “Way of Suffering.” Jesus and two criminals were hung on crosses for everyone to see.

After several hours, Jesus said the words that changed the world, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” You see, forgiveness was God’s plan from the beginning. Shortly after that, Jesus cried out, breathed His last breath, and died. A centurion overseeing the crucifixion had been observing everything that happened and said, “Truly, this is the Son of God!”

After this terribly sad event came to a close, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, leaders who had become believers in Jesus, came and took His body to be buried in a new tomb. Could this really have happened? Could Jesus, who is God, really have died? We will soon see – this is all part of God’s plan for us!

Why is this important to us today?

Jesus is God the Son, and He died for every person who ever lived. No event in the history of the world has had a greater impact on mankind than the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Are you wondering why Jesus would choose to come to earth and die for you? God’s Word gives us the answer: mankind – you and every other person in the world – has a problem called sin. Sin is anything that displeases God. Sin separates us from God and is punishable by death. But God loves us so much that He provided a payment for our sin… that payment is Jesus!

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions:

1. Ask each person, “What is one thing you’ve done that is sin, deserving of God’s punishment?”

2. How does it make you feel to know that Jesus died in your place for that sin?

How can we better follow God this week?

Have you received God’s gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ? Have you prayed and asked God to forgive you of your sin? God is not concerned about the exact words of your prayer because He looks at your heart and wants to know that you really mean what you are saying. God wants you to believe what the Scriptures say: that Christ died for your sins, that He was buried, and that He rose again – for you. In your own words, tell God that you know you have sinned, and you believe that Jesus died in your place to pay for your sins. Ask for His forgiveness for all the wrong things you have done, and tell Him that you want to receive Jesus as your Savior. It’s the most important decision you will ever make.

Discuss if and when each family member made this decision to become a follower of Christ. Talk about the fact that when you receive Christ, God gives you His Holy Spirit to let you know that you are a child of God. The Holy Spirit guides you and helps you understand how to live a life that pleases God.

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem and Cleansing of the Temple

As a family, read Matthew 21 together. Afterwards, share the following discussion.

What happened?

About two million people were in the area around Jerusalem for Passover. Jesus and his disciples had been together for about three years. By this time, Jesus was really well known in the area, and many knew of His teachings and miracles. On this particular day, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. Many of those people who were in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration began to lay tree branches as well as their coats on the road before Him as He made His way through the streets of Jerusalem. As Jesus passed through the crowds, people shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” The word Hosanna is a Hebrew word that means, “Save us now!” The people seemed to recognize that Jesus was a special person, but their later actions show that they didn’t truly understand Who He was or what He had come to do.

Almost as quickly as the celebration started, it ended. When Jesus arrived at the temple, you would think that there would be shouts of joy. But when Jesus entered the temple area, He encountered a group of men called moneychangers. These men were “religious” leaders who took advantage of people who needed to purchase sacrifices for the Passover celebration. Jesus was so angry that the worship of God had become a business that He flipped over tables and ran the money changers out of the temple.

Jesus entered Jerusalem on this particular day to reveal Himself as the long-awaited Messiah. His triumphal entry into to Jerusalem and the cleansing of the temple were fulfillments of the Old Testament Scriptures. Over the next few days, Jesus healed many blind and crippled people, but the Jewish leaders became more jealous and afraid. They tried to find a way to have Him arrested. Many of those who had praised Him when He entered Jerusalem earlier in the week now chose to stand with those leaders who rejected Jesus. However, God was going to use everything that happened to accomplish His plan of salvation for the world.

Why is this important to us today?

The moneychangers and Jewish religious leaders didn’t really know or love God. The moneychangers used their religious leadership positions in the temple to take advantage of others and make themselves rich. Jesus reminded them that God’s house was to be a place of prayer. It’s sad to see how the Jewish leaders turned against Jesus and rejected the Messiah of their own Scriptures! Their hearts were so far away from God that they couldn’t recognize Him when He stood in front of them.

Many people today who hear that Jesus is the Son of God still choose not to believe or receive Him as their Savior. When He entered the temple, He looked around and saw clearly what was going on. Jesus can also see what’s going on in our lives. When you receive Christ, you become a temple of the Holy Spirit who gives you the ability to trust and obey God’s Word.

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions together:

1. What are some things you’ve learned about Jesus by reading this passage?

2. What examples should you follow or not follow from this story?

How can we better follow God this week?

God wants us to keep our hearts clean so we can understand what He says to us from His Word, the Bible. Talk about changes that each of you should make to keep your temple – your heart – clean. How can you use your temple as a place to pray for yourself and for others?

Jesus came to provide a way for our sins to be forgiven and to give us eternal life with Him. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and only Savior of the world? Have you chosen to become a follower of Christ?

Jesus Feeds the 5000

As a family, read Matthew 14:13-21 together.  Afterwards, share the following discussion.

What happened?

The disciples brought the sad news to Jesus that His cousin, John the Baptist, had been killed by King Herod. Jesus asked Peter to get a boat so He and the disciples could get to a quiet place away from the crowds.  It wasn’t long before the people found where He had gone.  Rather than getting upset that His plans were disrupted, Jesus had compassion when He saw the people coming. Knowing that they were like sheep with no shepherd, He began to teach them.

Late in the day, the disciples asked Jesus to send the crowd away so they could buy food and eat.  Jesus said, “You give them something to eat.”  Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “There is a boy here with his lunch.  He has five small loaves of bread and two fish, but what is that among so many?”  The boy gave his little lunch to Jesus.  The people were told to sit on the grass in groups of fifty. Jesus told the disciples to find some baskets, and then He blessed the food.  He broke the loaves of bread into pieces and did the same with the fish.  The baskets were filled, and as the disciples passed the bread and fish, it multiplied until five thousand men were fed.  That doesn’t even count the women and children who also ate, and twelve baskets of food were left over!

Why is this important to us today?

This really happened! Four different men wrote the account of this miracle in the Bible.  Do you realize that Jesus has the same power today as He did when He fed over five thousand people with one boy’s lunch? Think about that.  Although it was very small, Jesus made it huge! In the same way, if we obey Jesus in small things, He will use those little things to make a huge difference in our lives and in the world around us. The disciples learned that Jesus could do anything.  He is God and He loves people. Even when He was sad and wanted some time alone, Jesus still cared for the people who crowded around Him. Jesus cares for you too, just as He did for the people who followed Him that day.

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions together:

1. What was the disciples’ solution to the huge crowd of people? Why do you think Jesus had a different solution?

2. Can you think of an example where God took some small act and did something big?

How can we better follow God this week?

Like Jesus, we sometimes get bad news or just have a bad day. When that happens, we tend to get selfish with our time and energy. Brainstorm ways that you, as a family and as individuals, can show God’s love and care for the people in your neighborhood, school, and church. Which of these things can you do this week? Which things will take more planning? As a family, commit to love people like Jesus does.  Ask for His help. Don’t forget that little is much if God blesses it.

Jesus Teaching the Crowds

As a family, read Matthew 5:1-16.  Afterwards, share the following discussion.

What happened?

Jesus gathered his disciples on a hillside in Galilee, where Jesus was just beginning to become known as a healer and great teacher. Jesus wanted to help his disciples understand what it means to be a follower of Christ.  We call these the “beatitudes” because these are the characteristics that true disciples are to have.  Jesus said:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called children of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus would go on to say that His disciples are to be the salt and light of the world so that those around them can see the truth of God and follow after Jesus as new believers. By the time Jesus finished His Sermon on the Mount, many people had gathered, and they were all amazed by the words of love, truth, and life that Jesus shared.  Many people that day would give their lives to Christ and would follow Him.

Why is this important to us today?

Have you and your family ever had a family meeting?  You know, one of those meetings called by a parent to talk about a family issue that needs to be addressed.  Mom or Dad, you might tell the kids, “Ok, everyone to the dining room table!”  And here you might need to share some news or make an announcement, or you might just need to let the family know of some new rules or a new chore list that everyone is going to need to participate in.

Well, this passage shows Jesus having a family meeting of sorts. He needed the disciples to know what family they belonged to and what being in that family meant.

If we desire to be followers of Jesus, we must know what He has done for us, what He desires for us, and how He wants us to live.  Jesus’ sermon to His disciples is an incredible message that gives us a look at how we are to follow Jesus.  We have lots of people telling us how we should act and behave, but wouldn’t it be much better if we heard from God on the subject?  That is exactly what Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is – it is a message from God that is designed to help us follow Jesus closer every day.

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions together:

1. Look back over verses 3-10; discuss what you think each of these attitudes means. For example, what does it mean to be “meek” or “pure in heart”?

2. Have each family member choose one of the beatitudes that Jesus mentioned. Why is that particular attitude important for a follower of Christ?

How can we better follow God this week?

Many people are only concerned with outward appearance and popularity. But God looks at your heart attitudes.  All the things Jesus talked about in this meeting are inward qualities, not outward actions. But, as you know, heart attitudes affect your actions. Have a quick family meeting right now. Ask each person to identify a personal strength and weakness from today’s passage. Then ask God to help you strengthen the attitudes where you are weak. Remember you’re not in this alone. God has given you His Holy Spirit to help you change to be more like your Savior.

Jesus’ Baptism and Temptation

As a family, read Matthew 3-4 together. Afterwards, share the following discussion.

What happened?

Jesus started his public ministry around the time He was thirty, and He did so in a truly awesome way.  In Matthew 3, Jesus came down to the Jordan River, where John the Baptist was baptizing people and telling them about how the Messiah was going to come.  Jesus asked John to baptize Him, and after some hesitation, John agreed. As soon as Jesus was baptized, the heavens opened, and God spoke from Heaven and said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).  Jesus’ ministry on earth had begun!

Jesus then went into the desert to fast and pray. After forty days, the devil showed up and tempted Jesus three times with three different things.  It’s interesting that the devil didn’t try to tempt Jesus until He was weak from being so hungry and tired.  First, he told Jesus to make himself some bread out of rocks. Then he tried to convince Jesus to jump off a cliff and have the angels save him. Finally, the devil told Jesus that he would grant him all the kingdoms in the world if He would just worship him.

Each time, he offered Jesus something that would make Him feel better or show His awesome power to prove how great He is.  But every time, Jesus refused to fall into the devil’s traps.  Instead, He used Scripture to fight every temptation and to send the devil away.

Why is this important to us today?

Can you imagine going 40 days without food? Jesus must have been really tired and really, really hungry. The devil showed up at the worst time ever.  It would have been so easy for Jesus to throw in the towel and give in. But with every temptation, Jesus responded with Scripture. He knew that Scripture was more powerful than anything the devil was throwing at Him. How did Jesus know what to say? Do you remember what we read last week? Jesus had studied God’s word and memorized it as a young boy. He was able to use it to help fight off temptation from the devil when He needed it most!

By memorizing even the smallest parts of Scripture, God will allow those words to come to our minds when we need them most.  When we are tempted or when we are facing a difficult time, those Scriptures that we’ve memorized will come to our minds first.  Those Scriptures will help us just as they helped Jesus in the desert.

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions together:

1. Why do you think Scripture had power over the devil?

2. When do you feel tired and weak? What temptations do you feel during those moments?

3. What verses of Scripture could be helpful for each situation mentioned?

How can we better follow God this week?

As you go through your week, try to think of some of the Scripture verses that you have memorized before.  You may not remember the reference or the entire verse word for word, and that’s okay! Just think through the verses you know already.  Maybe as a family, commit to memorizing one new verse a week for the next few weeks and see how you do.

Pray that God will help you as you fight temptation and hard times.  Ask Him to help you as you study His Word and as you try to commit some verses to heart.  Pray that He will bring those verses to your mind this week so that you can stand strong and resist whatever may come your way.

Jesus the Greatest Gift Ever

As a family, read Luke 2:1-20. Afterwards, share the following discussion.

What happened?

God’s people had been waiting and waiting for the Messiah, the person who would rescue them and be their king. Here in Luke chapter 2, we see the long-awaited birth of Jesus. God arranged circumstances in the lives of Mary and Joseph in order for Jesus to be born in Bethlehem, fulfilling prophecy regarding the birth of Israel’s Messiah. The Lord didn’t send hosts of angels to the highest ranks of Jerusalem to announce the Messiah’s birth; instead, angels appeared to a group of shepherds nearby. They filled the sky and proclaimed, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”  The shepherds were so amazed by the sight that they left their sheep and ran to find the baby in the manger. They couldn’t have fully understood what was taking place, but the astonishing events of the evening caused them to praise and glorify God, telling everyone about what they had experienced.

Why is this important to us today?

The name Jesus actually means “the Lord saves!” It’s no wonder that God chose this name to give to His Son because He came to save people from their sins. When the angels proclaimed “peace on earth,” they were announcing that peace between God and mankind would now be possible through Jesus.

All of us are born with a problem called sin. God hates sin because it separates us from Him. People have tried many things all throughout history to get rid of sin. They have created false gods, tried to work hard, and attempted to do more good than bad. But God sent Jesus because there’s nothing we can do that is good enough or great enough to pay the price for our sin. Jesus is the only One who can remove our sin and create peace between God and us. Jesus, who never sinned or did anything wrong, came to pay the price for our sin. If we believe that Jesus is the solution for our sin problem, and the only solution, then we can have a relationship with God and even go to Heaven one day!

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions together:

1. Why do you think it was important that Jesus came?

2. What are some of the wrong or sinful things people do?

3. How did the shepherds react to the birth of Jesus? How have you had a similar response to Jesus?

How can we better follow God this week?

In a few short months, we will celebrate Christmas.We all love getting gifts; few of us would refuse to accept something picked out just for us.  Well, over two thousand years ago, God gave us the greatest gift ever in Jesus! Have you accepted God’s gift of Jesus? Deciding to follow Jesus is the best decision you will ever make. Ask the members of your family who have accepted Jesus as their Savior to name one or two ways He has made a difference in their lives.

Who in your life needs the gift of Jesus? This week, look for an opportunity to give that person a gift. It can be a teacher, a friend, or even someone who makes fun of you. This can be a great way to tell them about Jesus or to invite them to come to church this week.

Israel’s Return from Exile

As a family, read Ezra 3 together. Afterwards, share the following discussion.

What happened?

Ezra 3:11 With praise and thanks, Israel sang this song to the Lord: “He is so good! His faithful love for Israel endures forever!” Then all the people gave a great shout, praising the Lord because the foundation of the Lord’s temple had been laid.

This verse is an incredible picture of what God did in the lives of the Israelites. But to fully understand how great it is, we must first understand what happened before the temple construction began. In the first chapter of Ezra, we learn that King Cyrus of Persia was stirred by God to let the Israelites go back to the land that God had promised to them way back in the book of Exodus. (Persia is the location of modern-day Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.) Cyrus ruled all of this land. The Israelites had been exiled across Persia for 70 years without any place to call their own. But they knew that one day God would allow them to return to the land that He had promised them.

Finally, God spoke to the heart of King Cyrus, impressing him to allow Israel’s return to Jerusalem. As the Israelites returned, they began rebuilding the temple – the place where God’s presence had lived among His people. Israelites came back from all over Persia. It was like a huge family reunion. Every man over 20 years old worked on the temple. God’s people rejoiced because they were finally coming back to Jerusalem. God had not forgotten them. “His faithful love for Israel endures forever!”

Why is this important to us today?

Israel had been in captivity in Persia because of disobedience to the Lord. When God disciplines His children, there is always a lesson to be learned. God wanted Israel to turn to Him and repent from their sins. They needed faith that He would provide for them and guide them, even in the middle of a very difficult time.
They had been without a land to call their own for generations. The opportunity to go back home after so long must have flooded them with emotion. But God didn’t just send them home to do as they pleased – He gave them a job to do. The work on the temple was the first priority. It was the outward symbol of their love for God and would once again provide the place to worship Him as He had instructed. Israel was wandering and homeless as a nation for generations, but this caused them to rely more on God and to trust that He would guide them.

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions together:

1. What do you think God wanted the Israelites to learn while they were in exile?

2. Any Israelite under 70 years old had never seen Jerusalem. How do you think they felt as they made their way back to a home where they had never lived?

3. In what area of your life do you feel alone or on your own right now? What lesson are you learning during this time?

How can we better follow God this week?

Perhaps the best lesson to consider this week is that God is always faithful, loving, and in control. Make a commitment to look to the Lord for guidance in each situation you face. Our biggest challenges in life are opportunities to learn to trust and rely on the Lord. He loves you and has a plan for your life. God is in control, even when life seems out of control. For what situation do you need to trust the Lord this week?

Elijah and Israel at Mount Carmel

As a family, read 1 Kings 18 together. Afterwards, share the following discussion.

What happened?

In 1 Kings 18, the nation of Israel was in the third year of a terrible famine (not much food) and drought (not much water), which had been caused by King Ahab’s decisions to do evil and worship false gods. When the Lord decided to end the famine and drought, He instructed His prophet Elijah to go see King Ahab. After he did that, God would send rain.

On the way to meet Ahab, Elijah saw Obadiah, Ahab’s official. He was looking for grass for Ahab’s animals. After some convincing, Obadiah went to tell Ahab that Elijah was there. Elijah asked the king to bring people from all over Israel, as well as the prophets of the gods Baal and Asherah, to Mount Carmel. Ahab sent word, and the people and prophets gathered there.

The people had been torn between following Baal and following the Lord God. So, Elijah issued a challenge to see whose god was the true God. Two altars would be made for sacrifices, one for Elijah and one for the prophets of Baal. However, neither altar would be lit; instead, each group would call upon their god to light the fire. The god that answered the call would prove to be the true God.

The prophets of Baal went first. They began to pray and shout and dance, calling to Baal and asking him to send fire. They did this from morning until night, but the fire never came. After trying all day, Elijah finally stopped them and took his turn. He had the people help him build an altar of wood and stone; then he dug a trench around it. He placed a bull on the altar and instructed that four large jars of water be poured over the altar. He asked them to do it again and then again. After all 12 jars had been emptied on the altar, the wood and the bull were soaked. Even the trench was filled with water. Elijah prayed, “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again” (I Kings 18:36b-37, NKJV). God sent fire, and it burned up the wood, the stones, the bull, the ground around it, and even the water! The people fell on their faces, saying they now knew that the Lord is the true God. God then sent rain, and the drought ended.

Why is this important to us today?

The nation of Israel was stuck in the middle of two gods, two beliefs, and two paths to go down. For a while, many had chosen to simply sit and not follow in either direction. Others followed Baal and rejected God completely. The Israelites needed a clear reminder that God is real, that He is all-powerful, and that He is the only one who deserves worship. As we continue to look through the Old Testament, we’ll see more examples of the Israelites being tempted to follow things other than God.

Even today, many people struggle with who or what to follow. But we have the advantage of reading in the Bible all the examples of God’s power and might. There is only one who can tell us what is right and wrong, and that is God.

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions together:

1. God showed Himself all-powerful over and over again. Why do you think the Israelites strayed away from the Lord so many times?

2. Who or what do people follow today other than the Lord? How can you avoid doing the same thing?

How can we better follow God this week?

This week, think about the experience of Elijah on Mount Carmel. When you have a choice to make, think of the Israelites and their mistake of following the wrong thing. Remember what God has already told us to do through His Word. Don’t be wishy-washy when you’re faced with right and wrong. If you know the right thing to do, do it! If you don’t know, look in the Bible and see what it says. We can trust the Word of God to help us follow Him. The Lord has given us Scripture so we will know how to live.

1 Kings 6, 8 – Solomon Builds The Temple

As a family, skim over 1 Kings 6, and read Chapter 8 together. Afterwards, share the following discussion.

What happened?

King David loved God very much.  In fact, he loved him so much that he came up with the idea to build a temple, or house of worship for God. You remember that God’s people had worshipped Him before in the desert in a tent called “the Tabernacle.” Well, David had the idea to build a permanent building in Jerusalem to honor God.

It was a great idea, but God told David that He wanted his son, Solomon, to build it instead. David’s job was to gather the building materials and plans for the temple in his last years as king.

King David finally died, and his son Solomon became king over all of Israel. He was very wise and talented. He accepted God’s instruction to build the temple. It was a huge project! Tens of thousands of Jews labored on the project, cutting huge stones from quarries, bringing expensive lumber from other nations, building the structure, and designing all the furniture and decorations. You can read the incredible details in chapters 5 and 6. Finally, after seven years of construction, the temple was completed.

A great building like this needed a “Grand Opening” ceremony. Solomon, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, and the priests led a huge parade through town. They carried the Ark of the Covenant (the wooden chest covered with gold, containing the two stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments) through the streets and into the new temple. The ark was to be kept permanently in the Holy of Holies, a special room in the temple where God’s presence would reside.

The priests made sacrifices to honor God. Then, Solomon led a service and made a long speech about the importance of God’s temple. Afterward, he prayed a special prayer of dedication for the temple. The people were so excited about God’s new temple that they feasted for fourteen days in celebration!

Why is this important to us today?

The temple was an awesome building. But more amazing is that God said He would live there so that He could be close to His people. Solomon understood how big God is. He prayed, “But will God really live on earth?” Solomon knew that God didn’t need this building – He is bigger than heaven and earth! But God had chosen to meet with His people in this place.

This wasn’t the first or last time God did that. Years earlier we remember that God led His people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. On the way through the desert, God gave His people the Tabernacle, a place He could meet with them. Now He would meet them in this temple building. The temple was a place God’s people could serve Him, bring sacrifices to Him, and worship Him.

Years later God chose a more spectacular way to meet with His people. He sent His Son Jesus to come in a human body to live on earth for 33 years (John 1). But the best was yet to come! Once Jesus died, was buried, and then rose again, He left earth for Heaven – and He sent God the Holy Spirit to live INSIDE of every Christian!

You see, it’s great to go to a building like a temple – or a church – to meet God with His people. But God doesn’t live in a building. He lives inside of YOUR life if you are a member of His family. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:19 that “your BODY is the temple of the Holy Spirit.”

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions together:

God gave King David, Solomon, and the people different jobs regarding the building of the temple. How was each task important? Why do you think it was necessary for God’s people to have a place to meet with God? How should you treat your body, knowing that it is God’s temple?

How can we better follow God this week?

You, as a follower of Christ, are God’s temple. So,

• Thank God this week that He lives in your life. Remember every day that He is with you, and think about how amazing that is.
• Treat each of your Christian family members and friends as “temples” of God! Treat them with kindness and honor since God lives with them, too.
• Be careful you are not doing anything that would dishonor your body or life, since it is where God lives.

Paul says it best in 1 Corinthians 6:20 “Glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

1 Samuel 8-10 – Israel Gets a King

As a family, read 1 Samuel 8 and 10 together.  Afterwards, share the following family discussion.

What happened?

The nation of Israel was unique – they were God’s chosen people, God’s valued possession.  God wanted to use Israel’s faith to reveal His great love for the rest of the world.

However, in the chapters we read today, Israel was questioning how God was leading them.  The Israelites looked around at their neighbors and saw that other countries had kings leading them. They didn’t recognize that God Himself was leading them. He led them out of Egypt, out of the wilderness, and into victory against many nations that were physically stronger than Israel.  But all those nations didn’t have faith in God – instead, they submitted to human kings.

The people of Israel wanted to have a king so they could be like the nations they saw around them.  They went to Samuel, a prophet and priest, to bring their request to God. He warned Israel that living under the authority of a king wasn’t nearly as good as answering directly to God.  Human kings made mistakes and could lead them in directions that were wrong or harmful. But Israel insisted. So Samuel prayed and took Israel’s request to God.

God told Samuel something interesting: give Israel what they wanted.  So Samuel began his search for a king. But God would bring Samuel the man He desired to lead Israel. Saul was the son of a wealthy man in Israel. He was responsible for his father’s livestock. One day, his father’s donkeys were missing. Saul and some of his men went searching for them. They could not find the donkeys, but during their search they were pointed to the house of a man who had a reputation for always being right in what he said.

Saul arrived at the man’s house. That man happened to be Samuel. When Samuel met Saul, he knew that this was the man God wanted to be king of Israel. So Samuel anointed Saul as Israel’s first king. Then Samuel said to all the people, “This is the man the Lord has chosen as your king. No one in all Israel is like him!”

And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

Why is this important to us today?

God gave Israel what they wanted – a king.  They would go on to have many kings.  But just as God warned, some of their kings became selfish and power hungry and led them away from following God’s laws. With each bad king the people had to decide if they would follow God’s way or the king’s commands. For generations Israel struggled through good kings and bad kings, suffering the consequences of their forefathers and demanding to have their own way rather than following what God said was best for them.

The time and culture in which we live is very different from Israel in this account, but we have to make a similar decision every day – either follow God’s directions or demand our own way. God desires to be the Lord of your life, just as He did in the lives of the Israelites.  He is the only one who will never mislead you or subject you to harm. God can be trusted because He never acts out of selfishness. All of God’s commands and directions are for our good.

But like Israel, we sometimes demand our own way. When we do, God may choose to let us have what we want; but we’ll suffer the consequences of stepping outside of His will.

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions together:

Why did the people ask Samuel for a king? How would God’s plan have been better for Israel? Share a time when you did what you wanted rather than follow God’s instructions. What were the consequences? How would God’s plan have been better?

How can we better follow God this week?

It’s important to encourage one another, as a family, to follow the Lord. Like Israel, you can be influenced by people around you to do what they do rather than follow what God has told you to do.

This is a great time to craft a family mission statement.  A good example of this is found in Joshua 24:15 where Israel was told by Joshua not to follow the ways of others. Joshua declared, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Take some time to talk about what serving God means to each of you. As a family, what is your “mission” for the Lord? Have one member of the family write down what you come up with and post it on the refrigerator or another prominent place in your home. It will serve as a daily reminder that your family has committed to following Jesus and His leadership – not demanding your own way.

As a family, read the story of the Flood in Genesis 6-9. Afterwards, share the following discussion.

What happened?

In Genesis, we read that there were lots of people on the earth, but these people thought evil things and did not follow God. God’s creation had chosen to get so far away from His intended purpose that God decided to send a flood that would wipe everything away and provide a new start.  God found one man He was pleased with, and this man’s name was Noah.

Noah was a godly man who was faithful and followed God’s commands even when no one else did.  God told Noah that He was going to send a flood that would cover the whole earth. So, He gave Noah instructions on how to build an ark (a big boat) that could hold him, his family, and lots of animals. The ark would keep them safe from the flood. Noah immediately went to work on the ark, doing exactly what God asked him to do. All the people around Noah’s family laughed at them and thought they were crazy!

When Noah finished building the ark, God gave him further instructions. Noah was to bring two of every kind of animal into the ark. God said the rain would last for forty days and forty nights without stopping. Noah did as God instructed, and the animals came to him to get on the ark. “Then the Lord said to Noah, ‘Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.'” (Genesis 7:1). Once everything was loaded, God shut the door, and it started to rain.

The rains came down, the oceans opened up, and the earth was flooded. In fact, for 150 days, the earth was completely covered with water. When Noah and his family were finally able to leave the ark, he made an altar to God and made sacrifices to Him. God was pleased with Noah, and He blessed him and his family. God then made a promise to Noah: He would never destroy the earth with a flood again. He then told Noah that a rainbow in the sky would be a sign of that promise.

Why is this important to us, today?

You may have heard the story of Noah and the ark several times. But stop to think about some of the lessons from this story. First, as God looked over the earth, He saw two types of people: those who loved and followed Him (Noah and his family) and those who rejected His love and did only what they wanted. Noah and his family loved what was good and right; everyone else loved what was wrong and evil.

Next, Noah followed and obeyed God even when it was unpopular and others criticized him.  It took 120 years to build the ark. Year after year, he worked without seeing a single drop of rain. Noah was able to be faithful to what God asked him to do because he trusted what God said.

We can see from Noah’s story that God takes sin very seriously. A few weeks ago in Family Time Week 3, we discussed that sin is doing something that displeases God. Sin harms our relationship with God; it harms others, and it even harms us.  God desires that we follow Him and that we do what pleases Him.

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions together:

After learning about Noah, how do you still see two types of people in the world today: those who love what is good and those who love what is bad? Why is it better to follow what God says is right? 

How can we better follow God this week?

Think about this…we deserve to be punished for our sins just as the people on earth were in the flood. Sin is serious! But then remember, God provided Jesus as a sacrifice for our sin. He died as the payment for our sin.

When you are tempted to sin this week, stop and think about how seriously God takes your sin. Remember what He did by sending His Son to take the punishment for your sins. Ask God to help you live to please and honor Him, as Noah did.

Week 2: Genesis 3 – The Fall of Man

As a family, read Genesis 3 together. Afterwards, share the following discussion.                                                  

What happened? 

Genesis 2:8-14 says that God created a garden—an absolutely beautiful garden.  There were rivers and gold all throughout the garden.  God placed Adam and Eve in the garden to work and take care of it.  But God said  they “must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it, you will surely die” (Genesis 2:17).

In chapter 3, Satan tried his very best to destroy what God had created by tempting Eve to disobey God.  In verse 1, he started causing Eve to doubt God’s instructions by asking, “Did God really say….?”

Satan continued to distract both Adam and Eve from the truth.  Eve fell to Satan’s incessant persuading, and “…she took some and ate it.  She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both were opened….” (Genesis 3:6-7a). Adam and Eve listened to Satan, believed his lies, and chose to disobey God’s command.

Why is this important to us, today?

Everything was perfect.  Man and woman were created to have an eternal relationship with God.  The world was pure…innocent of any and all forms of sin…and then Adam and Eve sinned. The result of their disobedience to God changed not only their lives, but the entire human race forever. Every person ever born would be a sinner whose relationship with God would have to be restored.

You were created to have a relationship with God.  When you disobey God, it hurts the closeness you have with Him. Choosing to sin is not only selfish, it breaks God’s heart. The same is true even in your family. When children lie or disobey their parents, it causes the relationship to be strained. To make things right, the child has to genuinely apologize and ask for forgiveness. Likewise, we need to ask God for forgiveness when we disobey Him.

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions together:

What are ways that you sometimes disobey God?  What would help you obey God more?

How can we better follow God this week?

This week, practice these two things:

1. Confess your sin to God as soon as you’re aware of it, and tell Him you’re sorry. He promises to always forgive when you ask (1 John 1:9).  Practice asking for forgiveness in your family.  Don’t let another day go by without apologizing (Ephesians 4:26).  Ask God to give you strength to follow Him.

2. Celebrate God sending His Son, Jesus into the world to die for your sin on the cross. He has an incredible plan and purpose for your life. Have you accepted Jesus’ payment for your sins? If not, will you become a follower of Christ today?

Have you memorized the nine fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 yet? Take a moment to say them together: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If you are a follower of Christ, then you can develop each of these godly qualities because the Holy Spirit lives inside of you. This week’s devotion will show us how to be more like Jesus by producing more spiritual fruit.

Be ready to read the following passage:
John 15:1-8
Let’s start it.

Pretend that your family has a garden. How would you go about taking care of it so that it would produce lots of food?

Let’s learn it.

On our journey through the fruit of the Spirit, you were challenged to think of your heart as a garden and of God as the gardener. Well, we have to take care of our hearts, just as your family would take care of a garden. Let’s check out what Jesus told His disciples about that in John 15:1-5 while teaching them how to be more fruitful followers.

Jesus didn’t simply tell His disciples to be patient or kind; He told them how to do it: remain close to Him. If they stayed as close to Jesus as a branch growing out of a vine, then they would grow spiritual fruit, like patience and kindness. Let’s take a closer look at what He said. Read back over these verses and have a family member make note of each time Jesus used the word “fruit.”

Did you find phrases like: no fruit, bears fruit, more fruit, and much fruit? Dead branches can’t produce grapes – can they? When a branch doesn’t get nutrition from the vine, it grows weak, stops producing fruit, and withers. Jesus was teaching his disciples that being more like Him starts by staying close to Him.

If you’re a follower of Christ, then you have spiritual fruit as evidence of the new person you’ve become in Jesus. Although you might be happy with having just a little fruit, God wants you to be even more fruitful, so He uses the difficult things in your life to build your character so that you will grow more spiritual fruit. For example, you learn patience through situations that would naturally make you impatient.

Try to imagine an apple tree that’s bursting with apples. That’s the picture of having “much fruit” in your life. Take a look at what verses 7-8 say about that. Spending time with the Lord by reading the Bible and praying gives you the spiritual nutrition needed to produce lots of big, healthy spiritual fruit. When you listen to the Holy Spirit speak to your heart and obey what He says, you show that you’re a true follower of Jesus Christ. You become more like Him!

Let’s discuss it.

1. Which fruits of the Spirit are most evident in each of your lives?
2. Which fruit of the Spirit has God developed in your life by allowing a challenge or difficulty of some kind?

Let’s do it.

Come up with a plan for members of your family to remain close to Jesus each day. Write down the specific steps, such as setting a time to have a daily devotion and memorizing Bible verses. Write your ideas on index cards or sticky notes and post them in a place where everyone can see them. Remember, only the Holy Spirit can produce genuine spiritual fruit, helping you to become more like Christ. As you listen to and obey the leading of the Holy Spirit, godly qualities will begin to grow in your life. Before you know it, you’ll develop more fruit … and even much fruit!

Do you remember the eight fruits of the Spirit we’ve learned so far? See if you can say them together (Galatians 5:22-23). As you develop one fruit of the Spirit, it helps you to grow in other areas. For instance, it’s more natural to be kind if you’ve already learned to be patient. Too often, however, hurtful words shoot out of our mouths the moment that we get upset. Let’s find out what the Bible says about the fruit of gentleness.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
• Ephesians 4:2-3
• 1 Peter 3:15-16
• Proverbs 15:1

Let’s start it.

What instructions would you give a friend who was holding a baby for the first time?

Let’s learn it.

If you’ve ever had a baby brother, sister, or cousin, then your parents probably told you to be gentle or “go easy” when you were around him or her. Did you know that Jesus wants His followers to have that same kind of calm and tender manner, too? The Apostle Paul described how he modeled gentleness while visiting the church in Thessalonica. Take a look at what he wrote in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8.

Paul and his friends traveled from city to city, teaching members of the early church how to live for Jesus. He wanted what was best for them because he loved them. Even when Paul was treated badly, he didn’t demand his own way. Instead, his words and actions were gentle; like a mother holding a newborn baby.

Paul not only modeled the spiritual fruit of gentleness, he also encouraged other believers to follow his example. Take a look at Ephesians 4:2-3. What attitudes did Paul tell the believers in Ephesus to have with one another?

Did you notice what other spiritual qualities grow alongside gentleness? Humility, patience, love, and peace. So there’s never an excuse for a follower of Christ to be harsh or to put down another believer. Does that mean we can act however we want when a nonbeliever insults or offends us? Check out what the Apostle Peter said in 1 Peter 3:15-16 about responding to people who don’t know Jesus.

Your witness for Christ is most powerful when someone makes you angry or when things don’t go the way you want them to go. That’s when you can show the difference Jesus makes. What can we learn about solving disagreements from Proverbs 15:1?

Your Bible might have used the word “meek” instead of gentle in some of this week’s Bible passages. It’s a word Jesus used to describe Himself (Matthew 11:29). A meek person sees the world from God’s point of view, so he isn’t easily irritated or offended.

Being gentle and meek is more than being nice or just having a laid-back personality – it’s a quality that grows in your life as you listen to and obey the Holy Spirit.

Let’s discuss it.

1. How do you usually respond to the things that cause you to be angry or upset?
2. Based on what we’ve just learned how could you respond with gentleness the next time something like that happens?
   

Let’s do it.

Think about the last time you used unkind words or an impatient tone of voice when you were upset. Did it make the situation better or worse? This week, concentrate on slowing down so you can choose to respond in a calm and gentle way. Try this – take a deep breath and ask for the Holy Spirit’s help when something or someone starts to make you feel angry. Remember, the attitude you display, the words you choose, and the tone of voice you use should be evidence that Jesus is your Savior.

So far on our journey through Galatians 5:22-23, we’ve explored the first five fruits of the Spirit. Can you name them? We’ve learned that God’s definitions of words like love and joy are often different from ours. Well, the same thing is true of this week’s word: goodness. One of the earliest lessons we learn in life is the difference between good and bad, but the Bible has some surprising things to say about being good. This week’s devotion will help us answer the question, “What makes someone a good person?”

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Exodus 33:18-22
• Romans 3:10-12, 21-23
• Romans 7:18

Let’s start it.

Discuss with your family what you think makes someone a good person

Let’s learn it.

Did members of your family have differing opinions about what makes someone a good person? If so, then you’re not alone. Some people think we’re born basically good, while others think that what happens in your life determines if you’ll do good or bad things. But what does the Bible say? Well, when a young man wanted to get to Heaven by doing good things, Jesus told him that only one Person is good – God (Matthew 19:16-17). Now let’s see what we learn about God’s goodness from Moses’ experience in Exodus 33:18-22.

God’s goodness is His absolute perfection, which is revealed through His glory. Can you imagine how powerful His glory must be that God had to protect Moses when He passed by? So, anything good cannot have any trace of evil. Does that mean you have to be perfect to be a good person? Not even the Apostle Paul thought he was a good person! Take a look at what he wrote in Romans 3:10-12, 23 and 7:18.

Bad news – not one of us can measure up to God’s standard of perfection because no one is born good or righteous. The first part of the word righteous explains this part of God’s character – He is perfect and what He does is always right. However, we are not perfect, and we do not always do what is right. Now, check out the good news in Romans 3:21-22.

If you have received Jesus as your Savior, then the goodness of God is within you, helping you to make right choices and do good things. You’re not a good person because you do good things; you can do good things because you have received the righteousness God has provided in Jesus Christ.

Let’s discuss it.

1. Revisit your discussion about what makes someone a good person. Based on what we’ve just learned from Scripture, how has your opinion changed?
2. How do you think the spiritual fruit of goodness is different from what the world thinks is good?

Let’s do it.

In order to receive the goodness of God, you must first understand that you have no goodness of your own. God isn’t trying to make you feel guilty or to make you feel bad by saying that you were born sinful. What’s harmful is to remain in your sin and be separated from God forever.

In 2 Corinthians 5:21 we read that “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” Have you accepted Jesus’ payment for your sin? If so, then you are a new creation in Christ; your life is completely changed (2 Corinthians 5:17). As a new, righteous creation in Christ, you can share God’s goodness with the people around you. How will others experience the goodness of God through your actions this week?

When you practice doing something over and over, you usually learn to do it well. It’s the same with displaying a godly attitude like patience – it takes practice. This week’s devotion continues our journey through the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 by exploring how to practice patience.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Romans 5:3-5
• 1 Thessalonians 5:14
• 2 Peter 3:9
• Psalm 40:1
• 1 Corinthians 13:4

 

Let’s start it.

Name some things you’ve learned to do by practicing.

Let’s learn it.

We’ve all had to practice doing something, but how do you practice patience? Well, let’s stop and think about what it means to be patient. Think of phrases like: carry on, stick with it, keep trying, and wait it out. Your Bible might have used the word, long-suffering, instead of patient in Galatians 5:22. No one wants to suffer even for a short time, much less for a long time – right? Still, God says that it’s important for us to be patient.

Think back to the things you talked about in Let’s start it. Practice isn’t always fun – is it? However, long hours at the piano or on a ball field help to develop a skill that you and others can enjoy. So what does long-suffering produce in your life? Ask a family member to read Romans 5:3-5 to find the answer.

God can use the difficult things in your life to build your character. And like the other fruit of the Spirit, patience is a character trait of God, so it should also be characteristic of His followers. What does 2 Peter 3:9 and 1 Corinthians 13:4 tell us about how and why God is patient?

Godly character doesn’t happen by accident – it’s developed through perseverance, which is a big word for “don’t give up.” The best way to learn patience is to be faced again and again with situations that would naturally make you impatient. We need patience when waiting for something good to happen (James 5:7) and while going through hard times (Romans 12:12). But we also need to be patient with other people, just like God has been patient with us. Who does 1 Thessalonians 5:14 say we should be patient with?

There’s another part of having patience that we haven’t talked about yet. What should we do, according to Psalm 40:1?

When things aren’t quite the way you want them to be, wait on God to act, knowing that what He does and when He does it will be exactly right. And while you’re patiently waiting, He will mold your character to be more like His – filled with the fruit of His Spirit.

Let’s discuss it.

1. When do you get impatient?
2. How can you practice being patient in those situations?
3. How has God been patient with you?

Let’s do it.

Are you waiting for something difficult to end? Or, have you been looking forward to something that seems to be taking forever to happen? God can use those things to shape your character. Godly character isn’t developed by chance, any more than you would learn ballet or baseball by accident. Patience takes practice. God may allow something into your life that seems frustrating at first; but remember, He’s giving you the opportunity to practice being patient. So don’t lose your cool when you’re faced with a difficult situation or person this week. Instead, thank God for giving you the chance to practice, practice, practice!

Last week we discovered that love is a choice we make, not an emotion we can’t control. Our emotions come and go – sometimes we’re happy, and at other times we’re sad. The Bible doesn’t say much about happiness, but it talks a lot about being joyful. What’s the difference? Are joy and happiness the same thing? Let’s check it out!

Be ready to read the following passages:

• John 16:19-24; 28
• James 1:2-4
• Philippians 4:4

Let’s start it.

What caused you to be happy or sad in the past week?

Let’s learn it.

The things that happen to you and around you can make you either happy or sad for a while. Joy, however, goes beyond just feeling happy because it isn’t an emotion – it’s a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23.) Jesus compared joy to the happiest occasion imaginable. Take a look at what He said in John 16:19-24; 28.

The disciples were sad because Jesus told them He was going away. He said that their sadness would turn into joy. They didn’t completely understand, but Jesus was talking about His death and resurrection. He explained it this way – a mother holding her baby is joyful, even though giving birth caused her pain. Jesus knew that going to the Cross would be painful, but it would give His followers the joy of new life – spiritual life. After His death, the disciples would see Jesus again! And no one would be able to take their joy away because it would come from the Holy Spirit living within them.

As followers of Jesus, we too have the joy of a new life in Him. But the reasons to be joyful don’t stop there. We can rejoice simply because God has given us another day to live for Him (Psalm 118:24). Turn to James 1:2 to discover another reason to be joyful.

Seriously? How can we have joy when bad things are happening? Look back at James 1 and read verses 3-4. God uses the challenges you face to develop qualities like perseverance as you listen to and obey the guidance of the Holy Spirit. You may be in an unhappy situation, but you can rejoice that God is helping you to grow spiritually. What three words in Philippians 4:4 can help you to rejoice in any situation?

Emotions like happiness and sadness come and go, but you can always have joy “in the Lord.” Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, who never leaves us – no matter what situation we’re in.

Let’s discuss it.

1. Based on what you’ve just learned, discuss whether or not you think happiness and joy are the same thing.
2. Talk with your family about how God can help you to be joyful in an unhappy situation.

Let’s do it.

God instructs His followers to be joyful all the time (1 Thessalonians 5:16), and His Word tells us how to do that (Philippians 4:4). You might not always be happy, but God says that you can always be joyful. As a matter of fact, we’re told that we should be joyful…no matter what. When you’re faced with a difficult situation, remember that you are “in the Lord” and look for what God wants you to learn.

Have you been a “fruitful” follower of Christ in the past week? Keep working to memorize all nine qualities from Galatians 5:22-23 until every family member can say them by heart.

Making a list is a good way to help you remember something. Recently, Family Time explored a few lists found in Scripture. What list of do’s and don’ts did God give to Moses? That’s right – the Ten Commandments. The last two weeks we’ve looked at lists of sinful attitudes and behaviors that belong to our old nature, and we started learning about a list of words that describe our new nature in Christ. But what exactly is the fruit of the Spirit? Let’s take a closer look.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Galatians 5:22-23
• 1 Corinthians 2:16

Let’s start it.

What kind of list have you made or used lately? How did it help you?

Let’s learn it.

We all need lists from time to time, don’t we? A list for groceries or school supplies helps you to buy exactly what’s needed, and a list of chores helps you to get things done. God’s lists, however, aren’t just checklists. The lists in the Bible warn us about the dangers of sin and guide us so we can please God. Ask a family member to read the list in Galatians 5:22-23 to see which qualities God considers important.

The fruit of the Spirit sums up the character qualities that every follower of Christ should have because they are character traits that He has. Those nine words are like a measuring stick to show us which things we need to work on in order to be more like Christ.

What interesting phrase is at the end of verse 23? There is no law against acting like Jesus! Can you imagine anyone passing a law against being kind or loving? Man made laws might try to limit when and where you can pray or talk about God, but you can be a powerful witness for Christ by displaying His character wherever you are. In order to act like Jesus, we need to think like Jesus. What does 1 Corinthians 2:16 tell us about how to do that?

As a follower of Jesus, you have His mind because you have His Spirit living within you. You see, it’s impossible to act like Jesus by simply trying to be good on your own; you develop the character traits in Galatians 5:22-23 by listening to the Holy Spirit speak to your heart and then following His instructions.

Let’s discuss it.

1. Put on your thinking caps! What examples of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control do you remember from people in the Bible?
2. Take turns sharing ways that members of your family can show the fruit of the Spirit this week.

Let’s do it.

Why do we make lists? They help us to remember – right? Some lists are so important that they should be committed to memory – especially God’s lists. Try this – write each fruit of the Spirit on index cards or sticky notes and place them where every member of the family will see them throughout the week. Make an effort to memorize all nine qualities before next week’s family devotion time. You may find it easier to remember them by separating them into three groups of three words.

When you memorize Scripture, God can bring it back to your memory at just the right time. For instance, when someone makes you angry, the fruit of the Spirit reminds you to be patient and keep your emotions under control. Then you can respond the way that Jesus would respond. Will you demonstrate His character this week?

This quarter, Family Time will explore how to be more like Jesus by growing spiritual fruit. When we listen to the Holy Spirit speak to our hearts and obey what He says, the “fruit of the Spirit” will grow in our lives. Choosing to obey God is always right, but it’s not always easy – is it? Even the Apostle Paul sometimes struggled between choosing good over evil. Let’s see what we can learn from Paul to help us choose right over wrong.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Galatians 5:16-26
• Romans 7:18-23

Let’s start it.

How can you tell the hero from the villain in one of your favorite stories?

Let’s learn it.

Many of our favorite stories lead to a clash between a hero and a villain, between good and evil. Have you ever noticed a struggle between right and wrong going on inside your own heart and mind? Galatians 5:16-23 gives a great description of the conflict between our sinful nature and the Holy Spirit, who lives inside of every Christ follower. Take time to read that passage together as a family now.

Did you notice the differences between what the Holy Spirit leads you to do versus what your sinful nature wants? Paul points out the difference between what’s right (the fruit of the Spirit) and what’s wrong (our sinful self): love versus hatred, joy versus rage, peace versus conflict, patience versus selfishness, and kindness versus jealousy. So you might wonder, “Why don’t we simply choose to do what’s right?” To find the answer, ask a family member to read Romans 7:18-23.

Choosing good over evil doesn’t come naturally to us as human beings. No matter how much you want to do the right thing, it’s a struggle to choose right over wrong time after time. Why? Because we’re all born with a sinful nature. So what should we do? Turn back to Galatians 5 in your Bibles and have someone read verses 24-25.

God gives us the power to choose what’s right! Jesus always does what’s right because He is perfect. If you have received Jesus as your Savior, then His Spirit lives inside of you – giving you the power to choose right over wrong. It won’t always be easy, but the Holy Spirit will help you if you allow Him to.

Let’s discuss it.

1. When was the last time you had to choose between doing what was right or doing something wrong?
2. Describe ways you can show the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) instead of your old self (vs. 19-21) this week.

Let’s do it.

All of our favorite storybook heroes pale in comparison to Jesus. He is the ultimate protector of all that is right and good. That means that Satan is the ultimate villain. Do you want some good news? Jesus defeated Satan when He paid the price for our sin on the Cross. The struggle going on inside of you between right and wrong is proof that you belong to Jesus Christ. His Spirit and your old nature are at war. You have a choice to make each day. Your words and actions will display either your old nature or your new nature as a follower of Christ.

If you have never decided to follow Jesus, then you don’t feel the conflict we’ve been talking about. Would you like to receive Jesus as your Savior right now? It’s simple really – just confess to Him that you are a sinner and choose to accept His death on the Cross as the payment for your sin. Close this week’s devotion with a time of prayer, inviting any member of the family who doesn’t know Jesus to begin following Him today!

Last week we began looking at the character trait of being trustworthy by exploring how our actions line up with the Eighth Commandment, “You shall not steal.” Let’s continue with the theme of being trustworthy and learn why honesty and truthfulness are so important to God.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Exodus 20:16
• John 1:14
• John 14:6, 16-17
• Ephesians 4:22-25

Let’s start it.

Has someone ever said something about you that was not true? How did it make you feel?

Let’s learn it.

Not telling the truth in a court of law can have serious consequences. A judge expects each person in the courtroom to be truthful. Well, God has given His people the responsibility of telling the truth, even when it’s difficult because you might get in trouble, or you might get someone else in trouble. As a matter of fact, God commanded the Israelites to tell the truth in every situation so that they would be a righteous nation. If you are a follower of Christ, then honesty should reflect who you are in Jesus. For the last couple of weeks, we’ve explored the idea that every sinful behavior has an opposite behavior that honors God because it displays His character. What does Exodus 20:16 tell us not to do, and what is its opposite?

Did you spot the word, “false”? Honesty and truthfulness are important because they are part of God’s character. Scripture tells us that all of God’s words are true (Psalm 119:160). In fact, God’s Word is truth (John 17:17). But wait, there’s more! What does the Bible tell us in John 1:14 and 14:6 about how truth is connected with Jesus?

Let those verses sink in for a moment. Truth comes from God because Jesus is the Truth! Since there is nothing false in Him, then no falsehood should come from His followers. Continue reading in John 14 to discover what verses 16-17 say is true of Christ’s followers.

The Spirit of truth lives inside each person who receives Jesus as Savior. Yet, we all face the temptation to be untruthful from time to time. We even tell ourselves that “little white lies” are no big deal. Or, that it’s okay to tell only part of the truth to stay out of trouble. Think of it this way though – if your words are technically true, but you’re trying to mislead someone, then you are not being completely honest; you’re being deceitful. A half-truth is a whole lie. God doesn’t put our untruthfulness on a scale from 1 to 10. He simply draws a line between truth and untruth, between honesty and dishonesty.

Before you continue, check out what the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:22-25 about our old nature versus our new nature. Did you notice how similar verse 25 is to the Ninth Commandment in Exodus 20:16? You have a choice to make each day. Your words and actions will display either your old deceitful nature or your new righteous nature. That’s why honesty and truthfulness are so important – you were created to display the righteous and holy nature of the Lord. And He is the God of truth!

Let’s discuss it.

1. How do you feel when someone lies to you? Why is it hard to trust that person again?
2. According to what we learned this week, is it okay to lie if the truth would hurt someone’s feelings? What examples can you think of, and how could you handle the situation honestly?
   

Let’s do it.

Trust takes a long time to build, but it can be broken in an instant. Dishonest actions lead people to believe that you are not trustworthy, and dishonest words can cause people to doubt everything you say. Being dishonest goes against the nature of God, His Word, His Son, and His Spirit. Do you have a reputation for being honest and trustworthy? Being honest and trustworthy helps point people to Jesus, but claiming to follow Jesus but not being truthful is a poor testimony for God and prevents us from truly worshiping Him. If you can lie and deceive without feeling the conviction of God’s Spirit, then stop and examine whether or not the Holy Spirit lives inside of you. Whose nature will you choose to display this week?

Seven of the Ten Commandments instruct us not to do something. God’s negative commands (“You shall not…”), suggest that there’s something we should do. This week we’ll see how that works with the Seventh Commandment and why it’s so important for husbands and wives to be faithful to each other.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Exodus 20:14
• Matthew 5:27-28
• Psalm 117:1-2
• John 8:1-11
• Psalm 145:13

Let’s start it.

Name something you have been told not to do, and then tell your family what the opposite behavior should be.

Let’s learn it.

Every sinful behavior has an opposite, God-honoring behavior. Read the Seventh Commandment in Exodus 20:14. What command did God give to people who are married? What do you think the opposite behavior should be?

God designed romantic love to be between a husband and wife. Adultery is the sinful act of a married person showing that kind of affection to someone other than his or her spouse. God’s command for married people to not commit adultery is also a command to be a faithful husband or wife.

Being faithful in marriage mirrors the character of God. Take a look at what the following psalms say about God’s faithfulness – Psalms 117:1-2 and 145:13. God is always faithful to His people and to His promises. When a man and woman get married they promise to love, honor, and cherish each other this way. As followers of Christ, we should be faithful to our promises to each other and to Him.

We’ve been learning that Jesus had a lot to say about the Old Testament laws and the Ten Commandments when He lived on Earth. Do you remember what we learned last week about hatred? Well, just as hatred is like committing murder in the heart, even thinking about another person the way God wants husbands and wives to think about each other is committing adultery in the heart. Ask a family member to read Matthew 5:27-28 to see exactly what Jesus said.

Husbands and wives should remain faithful to their spouse with their entire being – body, mind, and heart. But what do you think Jesus did when He learned someone had been unfaithful? Stop and read John 8:1-11 to see how Jesus surprised the teachers of the Law. God wants us to stop any sin we are committing and be faithful to Him.

So why is it so important for a husband and wife to be faithful to each other? Because God created marriage to be a picture of our relationship with Him. God is faithful to us and forgives us when we are unfaithful. And He gives us the ability to forgive others and be faithful to the promises we have made.

Let’s discuss it.

1. What promises have you made to God and to other people? How can you be faithful to those promises this week?
2. From what you’ve learned about the fifth and seventh commandments, describe in your own words what God wants a Christian home to look like.

Let’s do it.

There’s so much more to God’s commands than “You shall not,” isn’t there? Living to please the Lord means turning away from sinful thoughts and behaviors. But it also means thinking and acting in ways that honor Him. Pay special attention this week to the things parents and teachers tell you not to do. Think about what the opposite behavior would be – then do it!

Think about how your family described a Christian home. How will you honor God this week as a child, a parent, or a spouse? Be determined to keep your promises to one

The last six commandments give God’s instructions about how people should treat one another. The first relationship most of us have is with our mother and father, so it’s no surprise that it’s the first human relationship God talks about in the Ten Commandments. This week we’ll explore what it means to honor our parents.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Exodus 20:12
• Ephesians 6:1-3
• 1 Timothy 5:4

Let’s start it.

What are a few things you have learned from your mom and dad?

Let’s learn it.

As a baby, you didn’t know how to do anything, and then someone patiently taught you simple things like how to walk and how to use a spoon. Those people were most likely your parents. Have a family member read Exodus 20:12 to see what God says to children about how to treat their fathers and mothers.

Honoring your parents starts with being grateful for all they do and have done for you. True gratitude is more than saying, “Thank you”; it shows up in your attitude toward your parents each day. You demonstrate gratitude every time you choose to do what they’ve asked you to do. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus about the importance of obedience to parents. Take a look at what he said to kids in Ephesians 6:1-3.

Obeying your mom and dad is the right thing to do because God has placed you under their authority. Your parents set rules for your family because they love you and want what’s best for you. When you obey them, you are obeying God. He even promises that things will go better in your life when you respect your parents’ wishes. Obeying your parents is one way you can honor them and show your love for them.

The relationship between parents and children is a picture of the relationship God wants to have with each of us. Our heavenly Father is the perfect parent, and Jesus is His perfect Son. But we aren’t perfect – are we? God wants you to love and respect your parents, even when they make mistakes — the same way they love and forgive you when you mess up. Notice that God didn’t say to honor your parents when they are right. He simply said to honor your father and mother.

You might not have parents who love and follow Christ, but God still wants you to honor them. There may be times when as a Christian child, you have to say, “I cannot do that” if a parent tells you to lie or do something else that goes against God’s Word. Your determination to follow God, combined with a respectful and loving attitude will be a testimony for the Lord, to your parents, as well as to others.

The command to honor our parents doesn’t stop when we grow up. Check out what 1 Timothy 5:4 says about one way adults can honor their parents. As a family, it’s important to take care of the people who have taken care of us. It’s impossible to truly repay your parents and grandparents for all of their support and guidance, but following their example and helping to care for them as they get older is a sign of true faith and a grateful heart. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to show how much you love them!

Let’s discuss it.

1. How have your parents shown love and care for you?
2. Ask family members to name specific ways they can show gratitude, respect and care for their parents.
3. If you were not brought up by your mother and father, how can you honor and respect the person who provided and cared for you?

Let’s do it.

Be determined this week to have an attitude toward your parents that first honors the Lord. Look for ways to thank your parents for providing for your needs. Be careful that your words and tone show respect for their authority. Gratitude, obedience, respect, and care – all of these things are part of honoring your father and your mother. How will your life honor them this week?

Do you have chores and responsibilities around the house like cleaning up your room? Your family might save bigger projects in the yard or around the house for a Saturday and attend church together on Sundays. You may even get to do fun things with friends and family on the weekends. This week, we’ll explore how to observe the Lord’s day and keep it holy.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Exodus 20:8-11
• Genesis 2:1-3
• Matthew 28:1-7

Let’s start it.

Ask family members to describe a normal day in their lives. How is your weekday routine different from a Saturday?

Let’s learn it.

There’s no doubt that your daily routine is quite different from the daily routine of an Israelite in the Old Testament. Yet, similarities can be found in anyone’s day-to-day life. Pick a family member to read Exodus 20:8-11 and see what God has to say in the Ten Commandments about our routines.

 

God gave the Sabbath as a day of rest for His people. Each Saturday, they were to take a break from their normal routine, rest from their work, and focus on the Lord. The Sabbath was a weekly reminder of how God had provided for them. By following this pattern, they were doing the same thing God had done after creation. Check out what Genesis 2:1-3 says about that.

 

God rested on the seventh day because He had finished the work of creating the universe. God gave the seventh day a special importance and declared it to be holy. The first word of the Fourth Commandment is “Remember.” He reminded His people that in six days He made everything: the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them. Then He rested. The seventh day was to be different from the other six days. God’s people were to treat the seventh day as holy, just as God had done.

 

If the Sabbath was the last day of the week – Saturday – why do Christians gather to worship on Sunday, the first day of the week? Check out the clues in Matthew 28:1-7 before you continue. We have the best reason in the world to observe Sunday as a holy day – it was the day Jesus rose from the grave! Each Sunday is an opportunity for followers of Christ to celebrate His resurrection and reflect on what God did by sending His Son to pay the price for our sins.

 

God’s pattern from creation teaches us the importance of taking a day of physical, mental, and emotional rest from our normal routine. It is a day reserved to reflect on what God has already done and to focus our attention on Christ for the coming week.

Let’s discuss it.

1. Describe a normal Sunday for your family. Come up with ways that members of your family can take a break from their usual routines on Sundays in order to focus on the Lord.
2. How would it help your body, mind, and emotions to reserve Sunday as a day of rest?

Let’s do it.

Sometimes we fail to recognize how we’re following the world’s pattern rather than God’s. Sunday has become the busiest day of the week at most grocery stores and shopping centers. Many times Christians leave church and rush off to a flurry of chores and activities. Like most things, a day of rest requires sticking to a plan the other six days of the week. If we put off our chores or have too many responsibilities, we simply run out of time to get everything done. What would you have to change during the week in order to take Sunday as a day of rest?

 

This Sunday, try to plan a family meal after your morning worship service. Intentionally focus your attention on God by discussing what each person learned from the sermon or from his or her Life Group. How has God provided for your family this week? Monday’s chores and responsibilities will still come, but you will be better prepared to face them with a rested body, mind, and spirit!

Back in Week 19 of Family Time, we said that worship is loving God with your entire being. The problem is that we tend to give our affection to things we can see and touch because those things seem more real. This week, we’ll learn that our invisible God is more real than any idol ever made by human hands.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Exodus 20:4-6
• Colossians 1:15
• Exodus 32:1-4
• Hebrews 1:3
• John 4:21

Let’s start it.

Take turns describing an object in the room and have your family guess what it is. Now take turns describing the wind. Why is that more difficult?

Let’s learn it.

Trying to describe God is a lot like trying to describe the wind – neither can be seen or grasped, but each is still real. Take a quick look at the second commandment in Exodus 20:4. God commanded Israel not to make or bow down to idols. Still, the Israelites wanted to worship something they could see and touch. What happened in Exodus 32:1-4 while Moses was on Mt. Sinai receiving God’s Law?

The Israelites asked Aaron to make a god. Stop to think about that for a moment … they wanted to worship something human hands created instead of worshipping the God who created them! To make matters even worse, they gave the golden calf credit for what the Lord God Almighty had done. Do you think God was angry? You better believe He was! The answer to why He was so angry is found back in the Ten Commandments. Ask someone to read Exodus 20:5-6 to see what God said after the second commandment.

God’s jealousy for His people can be confusing at first, but it isn’t sinful – it’s righteous. He wanted Israel to protect their relationship with Him the same way a husband and wife should protect their relationship by keeping their promise to be faithful to each other. When Israel gave their love and loyalty to something else, He was jealous because their worship rightly belonged to Him. When parents turn from God and worship anything other than the Lord, their children suffer the natural consequences of not being brought up to trust and honor their Creator.

There’s another interesting part of the second commandment. God told Israel not to make an image of anything, including God Himself. Since God is spirit, He is in all places at all times and cannot be contained in an inanimate object (John 4:21.) He is too glorious and powerful to portray. Read Colossians 1:15 and Hebrews 1:3 to discover the one image God gave of Himself to the world.

If you want to know what God is like, then look at Jesus. It’s true that we don’t know today exactly what Jesus looked like. After all, there were no cameras on Earth during His lifetime. But Jesus’ outward appearance isn’t really important – it is His character and inner nature that make Him God. One day we will see Jesus in all of His glory, and fall to our knees in worship. Until then, we must guard against giving our highest love and loyalty to anything or anyone else.

Let’s discuss it.

1. How do you think people worship idols or images in today’s world?
2. Try to describe in your own words why it’s good that our God is too big to be contained in a gold or wooden object.
3. Think of ways you can show that your highest love and loyalty belong to God. Share those thoughts with your family.

Let’s do it.

God created each of us with a desire to worship, but that doesn’t mean that you will automatically worship Him. Like the Israelites, we sometimes give our affections to the wrong things. Has something else become more important than God in your daily life? Do you love anyone more than you love Him? If you answered yes to either one of those questions, then that thing or person is becoming an idol in your life. Will you commit to loving God supremely this week? Your relationships with one another will improve as God moves into first place in your individual lives.

We said last week that the Ten Commandments are God’s rules for right and wrong behavior. Correct behavior must start with the right attitude. Before we examine the Ten Commandments one-by-one, let’s look at how the first four commands should shape our attitude toward God.

Be ready to read the following passage:

• Exodus 20:1-7
  

Let’s start it.

How many of the Ten Commandments can your family name from memory? Here’s a helpful tip: the first four are about our relationship with God, and the last six are about relationships with other people. Go!

Let’s learn it.

How did you do? Check your accuracy by asking one member of the family to read Exodus 20:1-7.

The first four commandments teach us how to have a proper view of God so we can have a loving relationship with Him and with other people. How you respond to those commands reveals what you really think and feel about God. Let’s take a quick attitude check based on the first four commandments.

First, do you believe there is only one God – the God of Scripture? Or do you believe there are many ways to Heaven? Do you trust God completely, or do you find trusting Him difficult because He cannot be physically seen or touched? Are you careful about how you use God’s name, or do you sometimes say His name in an irreverent or silly way? Finally, do you reserve one day a week to rest and focus on the Lord, or do you go on with your regular activities on the Lord’s Day?

What did you learn about your attitude toward the Lord based on how you answered those questions? The Lord God Almighty is the one true God. Since He alone is worthy to be worshiped, His name and His day deserve our respect. When you give the God of Scripture the highest place in your life, then you will think and behave in ways that please Him. The ultimate result will be a loving, personal relationship with the Creator of the universe!

Let’s discuss it.

1. As a family, make a list of right and wrong attitudes toward God.
2. Which right attitude do you need to work on the most?
3. How can you guard your thoughts and attitude toward God?

Let’s do it.

Even as devoted followers of Christ, we sometimes let worldly things seep into our thinking. When that happens, our view of God slowly begins to change from what the Bible says. You might not notice when your attitude starts to be swayed by how people who don’t know Jesus think, so you have to intentionally guard your heart and mind. Ask God to help you recognize wrong views of Him on television, at school, or in conversations with friends. Guard your thinking by reading the truth about God each day from His Word. Remember, right behavior starts with the right attitude.

So far, Family Time has taught us a lot about how to love God and love people. Now we have to take what we’ve learned and put our faith into action. Are you ready to discover whom we should serve?

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Ephesians 4:11-13
• Matthew 25:34-40 

Let’s start it.

Talk about what you’ve learned from Family Time so far this year. How has it helped you to love God and love people more?

Let’s learn it.

Everything we’ve talked about in Family Time so far this year has led to this – serving. In week seven we learned that the Holy Spirit gives every follower of Christ at least one spiritual gift. Look at Ephesians 4:11-13 as a reminder of how to use those gifts.

One of the most practical ways we can truly love our brothers and sisters in Christ is to serve one another. Serving is as simple as sharing your God-given abilities to help another believer or to help your church. There are lots of ways to use each spiritual gift in everyday practical ways. If you have the gift of hospitality, for instance, you can take a meal to a sick friend or host a life group in your home.

But serving the family of God is more than helping one another; we also serve together in the common goal of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So using the gift of hospitality to carry a meal to an unbelieving neighbor is serving – if it’s done in the name of Jesus. Being a greeter for your class, department, or at the main doors of the church is also serving. A welcoming smile can make a huge difference to visitors and members alike.

Serving the body of Christ extends beyond your local church family. An interesting thing happens when you choose to serve people in need. Check it out in Matthew 25:34-40.

When Jesus lived on Earth, He related to people with great needs. As He met their physical needs, they turned to Him for their spiritual needs as well. When we follow His example – to serve those with the greatest needs – we are actually serving Him! You see, helping people opens the door to share the Gospel of Christ. Someone once said, “They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Think about that … it’s difficult for hungry or cold people to focus on what you’re saying about Jesus. However, if you give them food or blankets in the name of Jesus and then tell them how much He loves them, those same people will likely listen to every word.

So what’s the answer to, “Whom should I serve?” Ultimately, we serve the Lord. You can serve Him each and every day by helping members of the body of Christ, His church, and the least in His kingdom. You can even spark the interest of those outside the body of Christ by meeting their needs in His name.

Let’s discuss it.

1. As a family, come up with practical ways you can use your talents and abilities to serve other believers as well as your church family as a whole.
2. How does your church help people in need? Discuss which of these programs or events your family can participate in at various times throughout the year.

Let’s do it.

There are all kinds of ways to serve your church family, help fellow believers, and help people in need. Think about the things that you are especially good at doing. If you love to sort and organize, then talk to a life group leader in children’s ministry. There’s always plenty to do there! What other ideas did members of your family come up with in Let’s discuss it that you plan to put into action?

As you read God’s Word this week, look for the Holy Spirit to guide you about where and whom you should serve. Look for ways to bless your family, neighbors, and community with your gifts and abilities. Let’s all commit to serving as Christ modeled for us to do.

Think about the important people in your church, school, community, and nation. Would it surprise you to know that your list is probably very different from God’s list? Today’s devotion will challenge us to think differently about what makes a person great.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Mark 10:35-45
• Matthew 20:20-21
• 1 Peter 5:6

Let’s start it.

Name a person you think is important, and then tell your family what makes that person so great. 

Let’s learn it.

Your list of important people likely included some well-known and powerful people. But a person isn’t great just because he or she is famous or holds an important position. Take a look at what Jesus said about greatness in Mark 10:35-45 when two brothers came to Him with a big request.

James and John were ambitious; they had a desire to rise above their fellow disciples to powerful positions in God’s kingdom. Their request shows the same attitude we saw last week when the disciples were arguing over who was the greatest. Jesus challenged how they thought about what makes a person great. He explained that to be truly great they needed to serve, not be served. Do you think that Jesus’ answer confused them? After all, the world thinks of servants as the ones who help the important people – right?

This is where God challenges us to think differently, too. We often go to God with selfish prayers, asking for things that would make us look better in the eyes of other people. We have to remember that Jesus is our example. He never let someone’s opinion stop Him from serving His Father, and He is the greatest leader the world will ever know. People in leadership positions can find their greatest success by following Jesus’ example of humble service.

Matthew wrote about this same event in his gospel, but he added an interesting detail we can learn from. Ask a family member to read the beginning of this story in Matthew 20:20-21 to find out what that detail is.

What new detail did Matthew give us? It seems that James and John’s mother shared their misguided ideas about greatness. Jesus challenged her thinking as well. Like most parents, she was proud of her children and wanted them to be successful. But to really help her sons become great men, she needed to guide them to be holy rather than just look for what would make them happy. Servants in God’s kingdom should have different ideas from the world’s ideas about what makes a person great or important.

Let’s discuss it.

1. What ideas does our society have about greatness? How are those ideas radically different from God’s?
2. What position, role, or achievement are you trying to reach? Discuss how your motives for that accomplishment could either honor or dishonor the Lord.
3. What is the difference between giving your very best effort and feeling as if you have to be the best or greatest at what you do?

Let’s do it.

Now that Jesus has challenged your thinking, make a new list of truly great people in your church, school, community, and nation. Talk briefly about how members of your family can follow their example.

Having a desire to do your very best honors the Lord. However, we have to guard against the prideful desire for others to think we are great or important. No matter what position you have, following Jesus means living to serve. Close your time together by reading 1 Peter 5:6 as a prayer for the members of your family. Ask God to guard your thinking against selfish desires for greatness.

To answer this week’s question, we need to think about what we’ve learned so far about worship. Each of us should love God with our entire being; with everything we say and do each day. Anything can be an act of worship if it’s done to honor the Lord. Wow – each, every, any, entire – those words leave nothing out! Let’s jump into this week’s devotion and see what other words God uses to describe when we should worship.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Hebrews 13:15
• Philippians 4:4
• Habakkuk 3:17-18

Let’s start it.

In your own words, try to define always, continually, and constantly. Look up those words afterwards to see how similar your definitions are to the dictionary meanings.

Let’s learn it.

Every word has a meaning. Since God carefully chose each word in the Bible, it’s important for us to know what those words mean. When words with the same or similar meaning show up in more than one place, then we should really pay attention. Check out Hebrews 13:15 and point out which word tells us when to praise the Lord.

Did you say, “continually” or “constantly”? We just learned that those words mean to do something again and again without stopping. But this verse tells us more than when to worship; it gives the reason why our worship should never end. “Through Jesus” the Old Testament sacrifices aren’t needed anymore! Because of His sacrifice on the Cross, we should offer praise to God over and over again each day without stopping. We should worship the Lord without any interruption.

The next word we’re going to look at is in Philippians 4:4. Read that short verse together and find the word that answers, “When?”

God didn’t use the word, “always” by mistake. There is always a reason to rejoice and praise the name of the Lord – as we learned in Hebrews 13:15. Still, when something happens that makes us feel sad, angry, or disappointed, it can pull our focus away from God. So how should we react when bad things happen? Can we really praise God in everything? Let’s look at Habakkuk 3:17-18 to see what the prophet Habakkuk did.

Can you imagine a worse situation than having no food and no way to earn money? Yet during the most difficult time of his life, Habakkuk chose to focus on his Savior. We can learn an important lesson from Habakkuk. You see, our ability to be joyful and worship the Lord isn’t connected to what happens to us. We should praise Him at all times because of who He is – not what He does or does not do.

Since He is always the same, we can always praise Him. Since Jesus’ death paid for every sin, we can honor Him every moment. Since each situation is under His control, we can devote each day to His glory. Since He has absolute power over all things, we can rejoice at all times – even in our very worst moments. Always, continually, and constantly are great words – aren’t they?

Let’s discuss it.

1. How has this week’s devotion changed your thoughts about a situation that makes you feel sad or disappointed?
2. Ask family members to share how they reacted during their best and worst moments from the past week. Discuss how God could be honored, praised, and worshipped in each situation.

Let’s do it.

Do you praise God when you’re happy but complain when you don’t get your way?

If we’re going to praise God continually, then we need to start and end each day with thoughts about Him. Do you give yourself time in the morning to read God’s Word, or do you rush out without setting your thoughts on Him? How many times during the week do you have a meal as a family and talk about what has happened during each person’s day? Talk for a moment about ways you can spend more time as a family to help each person focus on worshipping the Lord throughout the day – continually.

We learned last week that real worship is loving God with all that we are, and that it’s the most important thing we can ever do. That brings up a big question. Why should we worship the God of the Bible instead of gods we hear about in other religions?

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Exodus 20:2-7
• Revelation 4:1-11

Let’s start it.

Take turns saying one true statement and one false statement about yourself. Have the other members of the family guess which is true and which is false.

Let’s learn it.

Have you ever taken a “true or false” test? The false statements are sometimes easy to spot because they are so silly. Well, that’s exactly what God’s people – the Israelites – should have seen about giving their worship to anyone or anything other than the Lord. The first answer to the question, “Why should we worship God?” is found in the Ten Commandments. The Lord wanted the Israelites to worship Him alone as the One true God. Go to Exodus 20:2-7 in your Bibles and have a family member read what God expected of His people.

The first three commandments instructed the Israelites to stay away from the gods and idols that other nations worshipped. These so-called “gods” were not real gods at all. They were false. The Lord gave His people a purpose – to recognize Him as the One and only God. Of course that meant worshipping Him the way the only true God deserves to be worshipped and using His name only in an honorable way.

God designed us to recognize who He is so we can have a relationship with Him. Anything that turns your attention and affection away from God and His Word has become like a false god in your life. God’s instructions in the first three commandments teach us to worship Him alone and to treat His name with the respect that it deserves.

Scripture also says that God deserves to be worshipped because He is holy and has power over everything He created. Take a look at the amazing vision of worship that John saw in Revelation 4:1-11. The book of Revelation looks into the future. Even though the events haven’t happened yet, we know they are true because God put them in His Word. One day, the whole world will recognize that God is the only true God. Chapters 4 and 5 of Revelation give an awesome description of the worship that will take place around His heavenly throne when God’s people and all of creation worship Him together.

The God of the Bible is the Creator of everyone and everything that exists. No one created Him or has power over Him. God is eternal, which means that He has always been and always will be. Every other so-called “god” is false. Worshiping the Lord as the One true God is the reason we exist and is the one thing we will do forever in Heaven.

Let’s discuss it.

1. Ask each person to make a true statement about God. What false beliefs about God have you heard?
2. How do those true and false beliefs affect a person’s worship of the Lord?
3. What do you think you would do if you saw God in all of His glory, as John described in Revelation 4?

Let’s do it.

God created us with the desire to worship, but if you have false beliefs, you’ll worship something or someone other than the only true God. Each person has to choose whether he or she will give the Lord the worship He deserves. Is your worship true or false? Ask God to show you if another person or activity has become like a false god in your life. Talk about ways that your family can give God the devotion He deserves. True worship is centered around the Lord God Almighty and His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the One and only God.

So far this month we’ve learned why we should talk about Jesus, what to say about Him, how to share His story, and who to share it with. Let’s tackle two last questions this month: when and where should we share the gospel?

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Acts 8:26-35
• Acts 16:6-15
• 1 Peter 3:15 

Let’s start it.

Take turns describing your normal daily routine. How do you respond when your routine is interrupted somehow? 

Let’s learn it.

Have you noticed that we’ve spent a lot of time reading the book of Acts this month? That’s because Acts tells us how Christians first began to tell the story of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Let’s explore two more true stories of early believers who shared the gospel. Read Acts 8:26-35 to find out what God directed Philip to do.

Even though Philip didn’t know why God was sending him down that particular road, he didn’t ask, “Why?” or “When should I go?” He just went immediately. As Philip obeyed, the Holy Spirit guided him to an Ethiopian man who was a long way from home. He was passing the time in his chariot by reading from the book of Isaiah, but he didn’t understand what he was reading. God put both men in the same place at the same time so Philip could explain the good news of Jesus. If Philip hadn’t gone or waited before obeying, he might have missed a divine appointment! God sent Philip on a journey to meet just one man, but that man took the gospel message back to a whole country.

Followers of Jesus come across people every day, right where they are, who don’t know the Lord. Take a look at Acts 16:6-15 to read about another divine appointment.

Jesus directed Paul, Timothy, and Silas to the exact place He wanted them to go on this mission trip. Paul and His friends were looking for a place to pray on the Sabbath. Most likely they would have asked the Lord for opportunities to tell someone about Jesus on their trip. They could have gotten so caught up in having their prayer time that they might not have noticed this group of women. Instead, they recognized an opportunity to share the gospel right where they were. God interrupted their routine, but He also answered their prayers before they asked! Turn to 1 Peter 3:15 to read how Peter encouraged early believers to share the gospel right where they were.

Every follower of Christ has a personal testimony about faith in Christ. Believers can share Jesus every day by simply being ready to tell people who Jesus is and how they came to know Him. The people in today’s passages paid attention to the people they met along the way. The message of Jesus didn’t spread across the ancient world by accident. Jesus’ followers shared their faith with anyone, anywhere, at any time.

Let’s discuss it.

1. Think back to the way you described your normal day in Let’s start it. How can you show the love of Christ, right where you are, every day?
2. When has God put you in the right place at the right time to either tell someone about Jesus or to do something that showed His love?
3. Take turns sharing your personal testimony of how you met Jesus. Make sure to include how knowing Him has changed your thoughts, attitudes, and actions.

Let’s do it.

We often ask God to give us opportunities to talk about our faith in Christ. The truth, however, is that we are surrounded by opportunities to share the love of Christ each and every day. As we’ve learned how to share Jesus this month, what person has the Holy Spirit prompted you to talk with? Brainstorm with your family how to start the conversation.

As you go out this week, look for natural opportunities to tell someone how He has changed your life. Are you willing to talk about Jesus to anyone, anywhere, and at any time? Close your devotion time by praying for your family members to recognize opportunities to share Jesus and when an opportunity comes … to take it!

Meeting Jesus is exciting and so is introducing Him to other people. The Bible tells us that Jesus’ followers brought people to meet Him. After Jesus returned to Heaven, His followers sent missionaries who were excited to spread the gospel so more people could meet Jesus. Let’s see what we can learn from their examples.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• John 1:35-42
• Philippians 4:15-19

Let’s start it.

Have each family member think of a famous person; then take turns introducing him or her to the group. How would you arrange the meeting? Describe how excited you would be to meet that person in real life.

Let’s learn it.

The disciple Andrew is known for introducing people to Jesus. Let’s learn how Andrew heard about Jesus and what he did as a result. Open your Bibles to John 1:35-42, and ask a family member to read those verses.

Andrew heard and believed John the Baptist’s message that Jesus was the Christ, the Savior Israel had been waiting for. Andrew was so excited that he brought his brother Peter to meet Jesus. Later we learn that Andrew brought other people to Jesus, too (John 6:8-9; 12:20-22). Do you remember what happened when he introduced the boy with the fishes and the loaves to Jesus? Jesus turned that little lunch into a meal that fed over 5,000 people! All the people saw Jesus do something only God can do. Because Andrew brought the boy to Jesus, they both had a part in showing the crowd that Jesus truly is the Son of God. Can you imagine how excited they must have been?

We’ve already learned in Family Time that Jesus gave His followers the responsibility to go and share His story all over the world. We’ve also learned that the Apostle Paul was a great missionary, but he couldn’t have traveled far or stayed long in the places he went without the help of other Christians. Check out what Paul said about one group of believers in Philippians 4:15-19.

The Philippian church helped Paul by sending money so he could continue to share the gospel of Jesus. The Philippians didn’t help him just once – they made it a habit. In fact, they were so generous that Paul had more than enough to stay on the mission field. Even though Paul was the one who received the gift, it was really an offering to God because it went to God’s work. The Philippians were excited to help Paul introduce more people to Jesus.

Yes, the Bible is full of examples of different ways to share Jesus with people who do not know Him yet. You can bring people to Jesus by inviting them to church so they can hear God’s Word taught. You can also share Jesus by supporting missionaries or by going on mission trips. Your faith may start a chain reaction that points others to Jesus, just like what happened with John the Baptist, Andrew, and Peter. Now that’s exciting!

Let’s discuss it.

1. Have you thought about inviting someone to a church service or church activity, but haven’t done it yet? Why did you put it off? What can you do to change that?
2. Ask any members of your family who have been on a mission trip to tell where they went and how they helped to share Jesus with the people there.

Let’s do it.

What activities or worship services do you plan to attend this week? Come up with a plan for family members to invite and bring people with you to church services and church activities. Post your Family Share Plan where everyone can see it.

To help you save for a mission trip or to be more generous in giving to mission work, decide on something you can give up or do without for a period of time. For example, instead of eating out on the weekend or going to a movie, set that money aside for a month. Then remember to pray during your family devotion for the mission work you’re saving for. Your generosity will bless another believer and help introduce someone else to Jesus.