FAMILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
January 22-28, 2012
Sunday, January 22
Call the family together.
Pray.
Read: Psalms 119:57-64
Ask: What is the commitment in verse 57? (The Psalmist is committed to keeping the God’s Word.)
For what does the Psalmist pursue in verse 58? (He is seeking for God’s mercy with His whole heart.)
When he thinks about his ways, what does he do? (He thinks about his life and compares it to God’s Word and changes his direction according to God’s law.)
What is happening in verse 61 with the “cords of the wicked”? (The New Living Translation says, “Evil people try to drag me into sin, but I am firmly anchored to Your law.”)
Who does he make friends with according to verse 63? (He is a companion to those who keep God’s law. Our ability to grow in faith and stay holy is based somewhat on the influences of our life. We all need godly friends.)
Lesson: We need to make a personal commitment to follow the Word of God. We need to make changes in our lives to conform to the Word of God. We can resist sin as we are anchored to the Word of God. We want our closest friends to be followers of the Word of God.
Memory Verse: “This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life.” (Psalms 119:50)
Pray: Thank the Lord for His Word. Commit to follow it fully. Pray for a heart that willfully submits to God’s commands.
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January 1-7, 2012
Headed the Right Direction
Sunday, January 1
Call the family together.
Pray.
Read: II Corinthians 5:12-21
Ask: Paul was accused of being out of his mind. What does verse 14 say motivated him to keep preaching? (His love for Christ. Some might also say it was Christ’s love for the world.)
How does Paul describe the Christian in verse 15? (The Christian is now dead to the world but alive to Jesus Christ.)
How can we be a new creation? (A new creation is made of each person who comes to Christ. The old sins have been forgiven and a new purpose is given for living. They have God living inside them and no longer need to fear death.)
What has Christ done for us according to verse 18? (Jesus Christ has reconciled us to God. He has restored the fellowship that was broken by sin.)
What does verse 20 say about our purpose now? (For those who are in Christ, we represent God in the world like ambassadors of another nation. Our purpose is to bring others to Christ.)
Who became sin for us so that we might be made right with God? (Jesus Christ.)
Lesson: The Christian is a new creation. There is a new beginning offered for each person who comes to Christ. The past is forgotten and forgiven. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. We are sent out into the world on mission. Resolve in 2011 to be an ambassador for Christ that allows the world to see Christ in you.
Memory Verse: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (II Corinthians 5:17)
Pray: Thank God for the new beginning you have in Jesus. Pray for others who do not yet have this peace with God.
Monday, January 2
FAMILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
December 25-31, 2011
Christmas Focus
Sunday, December 25
Call the family together.
Pray.
Read: Matthew 1:18-25
Ask: When was Mary found to be with a child? (Verse 18 says this happened before her and Joseph came together. The Child that Marry carried was the Son of God and came through a miracle of God. His conception was not ordinary miraculous.)
What did the angel say to Joseph? (When Joseph discovered that Mary was pregnant, he did not want to marry her. The angel told him that her pregnancy was miraculous and that she would bear the Son of God.)
What two names is the Christ child referred to in this text? (He is called Jesus in verse 21 which means “Savior” and Immanuel in verse 23 which means “God is with us.” Immanuel was the name the prophet Isaiah used to describe the Messiah in Isaiah 7:14, 700 years before Jesus was born.)
What did Joseph do? (Joseph took Mary as his wife and when the Child was born he named Him Jesus.)
Lesson: God works through people. Sometimes the will of God for our lives seems uncomfortable and even risky. We might prefer God choose to use someone else. Joseph, though, obeyed God despite reservations and fears. He was also blessed to be the earthly father that would shape the life of God’s Messiah.
Memory Verse: “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21, NKJ).
Pray: Pray that you would submit to God’s will in all things.
Monday, December 26
FAMILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
December 18-24, 2011
Christmas Emphasis
Sunday, December 18
Call the family together.
Pray.
Read: John 1:1-14
Ask: What is the Word to which John refers in verse 1? (The Word is a person according to verse 2. The Word who is a person became flesh according to verse 14. His name was Jesus Christ according to verse 17.)
How does John describe Jesus Christ in the first 4 verses? (He was with God in the beginning. He was God. He made all things. He was the light of men. He shined in the world but the world did not understand Him.)
What do the verses tell us about Jesus? (He was with God from the beginning and became a man at some point in history. He was with the Father at the creation of all things and participated in creation. He is equal to God the Father and yet separate from God the Father.)
Why is He referred to as “the Word”? (Jesus is God’s living Word to people who tells us and shows us what God is like. He is a perfect revelation for us to see what God is like. Colossians 1:15 says, “He is the image of the invisible God….”)
Who preceded Jesus into the world to prepare people to receive Him? (John the Baptist. Verses 6-8 describe John’s ministry to point people to the Light which is Christ Jesus.)
Lesson: Jesus is God. He was with God the Father in the beginning. HE had no beginning and will have no end. He is eternal. He came to live among the people He created when He became a man and entered the world as a baby through Mary’s womb. He is and always will be God. We who know Jesus Christ should point others to Him.
Memory Verse: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, NKJ)
Pray: Thank God that the light has come into the world and we do not have to live in darkness. Thank God for sending Jesus to be the Savior of the world.
Monday, December 19
FAMILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
December 11 – 17, 2011
The Prophecies of Christmas
Sunday, December 11
Call the family together.
Pray.
Read: Isaiah 9:6-7 and Luke 1:32-33
Ask: Isaiah was written 700 years before Jesus was born. How could he have known that a child would be born who would be such a person? (The prophet could only have known by the power of the Holy Spirit – see II Peter 1:21.)
What are the descriptions given of Jesus? (Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace; Luke says he will be great, the Son of the Highest and rule over a Kingdom without end)
What does it mean to have the government on your shoulders? (To govern means to rule over people; to bear this on your shoulders means to be responsible for it; He will be the ultimate ruler of people.)
Why do both scriptures speak of the kingdom of David? (David was anointed by God as king and ruled around 1,000 B.C. David was promised that a descendant of his would rule forever. Jesus fulfills that promise.)
Lesson: The prophet said that a Child would be born who would rule forever. He would be considered the Mighty God and Everlasting Father. God would take His place among men in order to rule over men. The Christmas season celebrates that point in history when heaven invaded earth in that God became a man.
Memory Verse: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
Pray: Thank God for the coming of Jesus. Pray that you would renew your commitment to serve the King forever.
Monday, December 12
FAMILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
December 4-10, 2011
Christmas Emphasis
Sunday, December 4
Call the family together.
Pray.
Read: Luke 1:1-4
Ask: What have others attempted to do according to verse 1? (Other people had attempted to write a story about the life of Jesus. He sees the life of Christ as a fulfillment of prophecy and an event that rivals any event in history.)
What does Luke propose to do? (According to verse 3, he proposes to write his own story about the life of Jesus based on the eye witness accounts of people who knew Jesus.)
Who was Luke? (Luke was a young physician who traveled with the Apostle Paul and was well-known in 1st Century Church. This gospel records more of the healing miracles of Jesus than the other gospels and emphasizes Christ’s ministry to the Gentiles probably because Luke was a Gentile – see Colossians 4:14 and II Timothy 4:11.)
Who were the eye witnesses to which he refers? (It could be any of the apostles of Jesus but may specifically include Peter who was the closest disciple and yet never wrote a gospel and maybe Mary, the mother of Jesus, because Luke records details of the miracle birth of Jesus.)
Who is ‘Theophilus’? (We don’t know but the name means, ‘friend of God.’ He could have been Roman official who wanted to know more about the life of Jesus.)
Lesson: The life, death and resurrection of Jesus as an event cannot be measured in importance. Christ’s presence on earth was when God came down to live among us. Luke gives details about His birth that the other gospel writers do not include and probably come from a Mary herself. Luke wants the world to know what happened when God came down.
Memory Verse: “Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.” (Luke 1:30-31)
Pray: Thank God for sending Jesus. Pray for a deeper understanding of the Christmas event.
Monday, December 5
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November 27-December 3, 2011
Sunday, November 27
Call the family together.
Pray.
Read: Romans15:1-6
Ask: Who are we to strive to please when it comes to questions of conduct on issues that are non-essential to salvation? (We are to strive to please our neighbor. We should pursue peace with those who have a different point of view on what is right or wrong. We do not selfishly assert our rights but treat others with kindness and consideration.)
What will this due for the Christian who is struggling with an issue? (It will build him up and encourage him.)
Who set the example for such behavior? (Jesus Christ set the example for us because he did not live to please Himself.)
What is our source of encouragement? (The example of Jesus is recorded in the Bible as are many other lessons and example that help us trust confidently in Christ.)
Lesson: As long as we live in this world Christians will have different views on issues that are not essential to salvation. They will disagree on appropriate clothing, what a person should eat or drink, whether Sunday or Saturday is holy, and a host of other topics. We are to live to please the other and forfeit perceived liberties for the unity of the church and the sake of new believers. Since Christ laid down His life for us, we also can lay down our lives for each other.
Memory Verse: “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13, NKJ)
Pray: Pray that you would treat others with the same attitude of Jesus.
Monday, November 28
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November 13-19, 2011
Sunday, November 13
Call the family together.
Pray.
Read: Romans 14:1-3
Ask: Do Christian people agree on everything? (No. The Christians of the first century came from very diverse backgrounds with differing views of holidays, politics, foods and many other areas of life.)
How were they to handle their differences? (They were supposed to receive each other as friends and not argue over matters that were not fundamental to salvation.)
What were the circumstances? (The churches probably had a mixture of Jewish believers and Gentile believers. The Jewish Christians probably wanted to continue to adhere to Jewish dietary laws and holidays. We know they wanted others to be circumcised. The Gentile believers held no such convictions. This created a basis for conflict.)
What might be the conflict over the food? (The Jewish believers would not eat pork or anything considered unclean. The Gentile believers ate everything. The one group is not to mock the other group that does not eat and the other group is not to judge the one who chooses to eat.)
Lesson: It is likely that we all have friendships with other believers with whom we disagree on matters of life that are not critical to salvation. These conflicts can be very divisive. Paul urges us to pursue peace with each other and withhold judgment.
Memory Verse: “So then, each of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12, NKJ)
Pray: Pray for a kind and gentle spirit toward those with whom you disagree. Pray that God would help you to be a peace maker.
Monday, November 14
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November 6-12, 2011
Sunday, November 6
Call the family together.
Pray.
Read: Romans 13:1-2
Ask: How is the Christian to relate to government? (Christians are to be submissive to the governing authorities.)
Who has given these authorities their position? (God has given authorities their power and position.)
Who do we resist when we resist those in power? (Ultimately, we resist God when we resist the governing authorities.)
What happens when we resist those in power? (We eventually bring judgment on ourselves. The New Living says, “…punishment will follow.”)
Lesson: Living as a good citizen honors the Lord. Obeying the laws of the land is God’s will for our lives. The Roman government was very flawed yet Jesus submitted to their authority. The only time a Christian is justified in resisting the governing authorities is when the laws of the land conflict with the laws of God. In Acts 5:28 the Jerusalem authorities commanded the apostles to speak no more in the name of Jesus but in verse 29 the apostles respond, “We ought to obey God rather than men.”
Memory Verse: “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.” (Romans 13:8, NKJ)
Pray: Pray for those in law enforcement.
Monday, November 7
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