FAMILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
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
Call the family together.
Pray.
Read: Romans 13:3-4
Ask: Who should be afraid of those who are in authority? (The people who disobey the law should be afraid of those in authority.)
If you do not want to be afraid of the authorities, what should you do? (You should obey the law.)
If you obey the law, what will you receive? (You will receive praise from those in authority.)
What does it mean to “bear the sword”? (Rulers have the authority to discipline and judge. Society has a right to protect itself from those who do evil. Law enforcement needs the ability to instill fear in those who disobey the law.)
Lesson: If the law does not violate the law of God, than Christians should obey it. There is punishment for those who disobey. We should not be angry when we are punished for disobeying the law of the land. Respect and obey the laws of the land and those who enforce them, and you will earn their respect.
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 the government leaders, both for them to have wisdom and protection.
Tuesday, November 8
Call the family together.
Pray.
Read: Romans 13:5-7
Ask: What two reasons does verse 5 give for obeying authorities? (We are to be subject to authorities because of fear of punishment and also to keep a clear conscience.)
Should a Christian willingly pay taxes? (Absolutely. Those who benefit from it must support the government system. Those who live in society must fund those who keep the peace and protect society.)
How should we treat those in authority? (We should respect those in authority and support them through taxes.)
Lesson: Resolve to be a good citizen. Thank God for the freedoms we enjoy in America and recognize how wonderful it is to be here compared to virtually anywhere else on earth. We are blessed. We should pay taxes willingly to support the governing authorities and give respect to those who rule over us.
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: Thank God for our nation. Pray for those in leadership roles. Pray for God to raise up godly leaders.
Wednesday, November 9
Call the family together.
Pray.
Read: Romans 13:8
Ask: It is good to have debt? (No. The Bible teaches that the man who owes another is a servant to the one he owes - Proverbs 22:7. We should pay our debts to others in a timely fashion.)
What one debt do we owe all men? (We owe it to all men to love them. We have been loved by God and are indebted to the world to love the world.)
How does loving another fulfill the law? (We are commanded by the Lord to love God with all of our heart and to love our neighbor as we love ourself – Matthew 22:39.)
Lesson: Love is the most powerful motive for doing what is right. God wants us to serve Him because we love Him and not to avoid punishment. All the commandments of God will be obeyed if we love Him. In like manner, if we love others we will do what is right for them. If we love others, we will never hurt them. Love fulfills the law because if we master love than every other command will be followed.
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 that your love for the Lord and others will deepen.
Thursday, November 10
Call the family together.
Pray.
Read: Romans 13:9-10
Ask: How many commands does Paul list here? (Five. They are all taken from the 10 Commandments listed in Exodus 20.)
Why were these five chosen? (These five commands relate to the way we behave toward others. All five commands are things we should not do to someone else.)
What command is supreme above all? (The command that says to love your neighbor is the supreme command.)
Why? (If you love your neighbor than you will not kill him; you will not hurt him; you will not lie to him; you will not steal from him; you will not be jealous or envious of him. If you love your wife than you would never commit adultery with another women. Love is supreme.)
What does love do? (Love fulfills the law. If we love, than we will do everything else the law commands.)
Lesson: Jesus addressed the commands of God in a new way. He took the negative commands – “thou shalt not” – and He made them positive – Love God and love others. Christians should be known for what we are for and not always what we are against. We are for families. We are for encouragement and love. We are for honoring God. We love God and love others. If we will obey the two positive commands to love God and others, than we will always obey the negative commands of what not to do.
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 that your love for God and others would always grow and be active.
Friday, November 11
Call the family together.
Pray.
Read: Romans 13:11-12
Ask: What time does Paul imply it is? (Paul implies it is the time of the end.)
What should the Christian do? (The Christian should live spiritually alert and ready for the return of Jesus. The Christian should guard vigilantly against sin.)
What is near? (Our salvation is nearer now than when we first became a Christian. The fullness of our salvation is received when Christ returns. We are closer now to His return than ever before.)
To what does the night refer? (The night generally refers to a time of spiritual darkness and sin.)
What is the Christian to do? (We are to turn away from the sins of life and live godly in Christ Jesus. We are soldiers in His army and living for His glory.)
Lesson: Paul believed Christ would return in his lifetime. He lived with the constant anticipation that Jesus was coming back. He longed, looked and waited for the coming of Christ. Christians today should live with that much more anticipation. We have lived in a world of darkness and it is growing darker. We are children of light and living for Christ. This is no time to compromise with darkness but to live diligently for Christ in the light and look for the coming of Jesus.
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 that Christ would return. Pray that you would be ready and help others to be ready for His return.
Saturday, November 12
Call the family together.
Pray.
Read: Romans 13:13-14
Ask: What is the Christian to do in this society? (He is to live a morally clean and upright life. His life should be lived with the realization that people are watching. Everyone who sees our life should be able to approve of how we live.)
What is the Christian not to do? (The New Living Translation says, “Don't participate in wild parties and getting drunk, or in adultery and immoral living, or in fighting and jealousy.”)
Who is to control our lives? (The Lord Jesus Christ is to have complete control of our lives. We are to put on Christ, meaning, the world should know that we have identified ourselves as followers of Jesus.)
What must we guard against? (We must guard against indulging our fleshly desires.)
Lesson: There is a constant battle to do what is morally right and good and guard against what is selfish and sinful. Christians continually must pursue holiness and stay focused on Jesus in order to avoid indulging the lusts of our flesh. There is pleasure in sin but it comes with consequences. We want to honor the Lord in this world and that means living life like Christ.
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 that your life will honor the Lord as you pursue holiness.