What Need to Know Part One
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Posted:Apr 7, 2010 10:52 am
Last Updated:Nov 17, 2025 8:15 pm 12116 Views
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What Need to Know (Part One) Mark 10:13,14
And they were bringing to Him so that He might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, "Permit the to come to Me; do not hinder them."
and Easter. New life and new beginnings. What better time to share the gospel with your ? But what does a , or any person, need to know to become a Christian? The following are the basics:
First, need to be taught who God is and how He loves them. They need to know what sets Him apart from humans.
God is holy; He is perfect. People, however, are not perfect.
God is just; He is always fair. We are not just in all our decisions.
God is love; He desires a relationship with us. That's why He sent His . We are not always motivated out of our love for another.
Second, need to be taught that their sins must be forgiven (see Rom. 6:23). Many parents in this culture of tolerance feel uncomfortable talking about hell. God is patient, but He is not tolerant. His justice calls for an atonement (a payment, a penalty) for people's sins. Our must have some understanding that their sins can keep them out of heaven. Their sins must be paid for. And that is what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross.
Finally, need to know that they receive God's forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ (see Eph. 2:8,9).
Faith involves repenting of our sins, turning to God in faith and trusting Jesus Christ to be our Savior and Lord. When we repent, we acknowledge our sins before God and express our sorrow about our sins to Him.
Those are the basics of what need to know. The question you're probably asking is, "How can I explain concepts like these to ?"
That's what I'll cover next time.
Prayer: That God would work in your 's hearts to bring them to Him.
Discuss: How have you done as a couple in explaining the gospel to your ? How can you arrange your Easter activities to take time to explain the gospel to your ?
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What Need to Know Part Two
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Posted:Apr 6, 2010 4:14 pm
Last Updated:Nov 17, 2025 8:15 pm 11666 Views
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What Need to Know (Part Two) Romans 3:23,24
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.
I believe many parents today think their are too young to understand the gospel. Yet, many understand faith at an early age-our own six all indicated they received Christ before the age of six. Many don't realize God has given them one of the finest tools for teaching spiritual truth-the family. can learn about biblical truth through their relationships with their parents and their siblings.
Even the deepest truths of a book such as Romans can be brought to life to a . For example, learn of their mistakes within a family. They see their own tendency to be selfish, to disobey and to sin within a family. You can explain a verse such as Romans 3:23 to them by using their selfishness as an example of what it means to "fall short of the glory of God."
Or take the concept of forgiveness. From a very early age, Barbara and I taught our that, when they disobey a parent or hurt a brother or sister, they need to go and ask that person for forgiveness. They learned the process of forgiveness within the family, and we referred to those experiences when we explained the gospel to them. We hurt God with our sins, and we need to come to Him and ask for forgiveness.
I am not trivializing God's forgiveness. We just need to think as a thinks and go back to the very basic elements of the faith. Once understand their need for forgiveness, we then explain the basis for God's forgiveness-the sacrifice of His , Jesus Christ.
The family is a divine incubator for teaching spiritual truths. We need to use it when teaching the fundamentals of faith to our .
Prayer: Together that God's Spirit would speak through you to touch your 's hearts with their need for Christ.
Discuss: Go through the previous devotion's list of concepts need to understand to come to Christ. Then think of how you could illustrate those concepts to them through experiences within your family.
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Jim's Story
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Posted:Mar 31, 2010 1:28 pm
Last Updated:Nov 17, 2025 8:15 pm 11500 Views
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Jim's Story 2 Corinthians 12:10
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Jim Harvey was a successful manager in a multi-billion-dollar company. He was married, had a attending a top university and was deacon in his church. But then, over a period of 10 years, God did some major surgery in Jim's life. Here's his story:
I had tremendous confidence in my own ability. I tolerated no weakness; everything was under my control.
Then I learned my was on hard drugs and my wife was addicted to alcohol. A short time later my left college, and my wife filed for divorce. I gained custody of my two younger and became a single parent.
I began to understand that, when I was helpless to deal with a situation, I could turn it over to God and He would meet my needs. I also became a serious student of the Bible, finishing five years of the Bible Study Fellowship program. I met and married Carole, a committed Christian. Surely, I thought, God was through teaching me and breaking down my pride. I was wrong.
When the stock market crashed in 1987, we lost most of our savings. Carole and I saw God's mercy when she had surgery for cancer that was successfully treated.
For years I tried to talk with my about Christ, but she had no interest. Finally, Carole and I decided to pray and ask God to work in her life.
Two months later I received one of the most dreaded phone calls a parent can get: "Dad, I have tested positive with the AIDS virus." With nowhere else to turn, she received Christ as her Savior and has devoted her life to ministering in a hospital for dying AIDS patients.
I feel privileged to have learned the lessons each situation has brought. I'm better able to comfort those who find themselves in similar circumstances. With each trial, God has broken down my arrogance and pride, and has shown me His sufficiency.
Honest stuff, huh? Jim learned the hard way that God is still faithful when everything is stripped away.
Prayer: That God would show you how to depend on Him in times of trial.
Discuss: What has God done in the past to break down your pride? What has He done recently?
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The Prayer of the Helpless Parent
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Posted:Mar 30, 2010 4:37 pm
Last Updated:Nov 17, 2025 8:15 pm 11576 Views
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The Prayer of the Helpless Parent Zechariah 4:6
"Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the Lord of hosts.
No one raises perfect . No one is the perfect parent. No one does it all. Barbara and I have discovered a secret, though, and it's the greatest one of all: God helps parents raise their . He delights when we admit our weaknesses because that's when He gives us wisdom and power through the Holy Spirit. He loves the prayer of the helpless parent.
I think that God uses our to get our attentions. He wants to rule in our lives, but as long as we feel we can succeed in our own power, we won't listen to His Spirit.
Psalm 127:1 says, "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it." God will help you build your house. You can do it with Him as the architect and builder.
There's a gravel road in the country where I go jogging, and I like to pray for my family as I run. Often I cry out to the Lord, "Unless You build this house, it isn't going to work. You know the parents here. You know the . Lord, you gave them to us, so help us be successful in raising them."
Pray to God for help in building your home. Pray that you might keep your marriage holy and pure. Ask Him to give you wisdom, strong and resilient commitments, pure romance and vital relationships.
Ask God to help you, the helpless parent. Ask Him to get your 's attention. Plead with Him to build convictions where you can't. Ask Him to build your home. God loves the prayer of the helpless parent.
Prayer: Spend some time in prayer, asking God to give you specific wisdom and guidance for the decisions you face as a parent right now.
Discuss: What makes you feel helpless as a parent? What's happening in your family right now that pushes you to depend on God?
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At an Early Age
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Posted:Mar 29, 2010 12:42 pm
Last Updated:Nov 17, 2025 8:15 pm 11405 Views
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At an Early Age Matthew 19:14
But Jesus said, "Let the alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
How old does a have to be before he or she can place saving faith in Jesus Christ? The great English preacher, C. H. Spurgeon, said, "A who knowingly sins can savingly believe." Many of the great leaders of the Church became Christians when they were very young. It was said of Polycarp, a first-century church leader, that he walked with God for 86 years before he died at the age of 95. Isaac Watts, the great hymn writer, came to saving faith in Christ at nine years of age.
I was six when I began to feel my need for forgiveness. I grew up in a church with a pastor who preached about heaven and hell, a couple of places we don't hear much about these days.
I recall becoming so aware of my sin that I would lie in bed and shudder; I was afraid to go to bed at night for fear that I'd die in my sleep and spend an eternity in hell.
So one Sunday I told my mom that I felt it was time for me to give my life to Christ. She talked to me straight about my decision, and she didn't hinder me from making my commitment public.
I recall walking that church aisle with a lump in my throat; it was a public confession of wanting Jesus Christ to be my Savior and Lord. That decision marked my life. A few weeks later, my teacher asked me to draw a picture of what I wanted to do when I grew up. I will never forget that picture because God had already etched His mark on my life. I drew a picture of a stick-figure man preaching about Christ.
That was over 40 years ago. And thanks to my parents' faithful instruction, I can look back on that commitment as the most important decision in my life.
Prayer: Ask God to give you wisdom and clarity in teaching your about God's forgiveness through faith in His , Jesus Christ.
Discuss: Have your made a decision to receive Christ? What can you do to help them understand the gospel?
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Yielding to God
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Posted:Mar 26, 2010 11:46 am
Last Updated:Nov 17, 2025 8:15 pm 11400 Views
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Yielding to God Philippians 4:6,7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Did you know that the Scriptures include the words "Fear not" hundreds of times. Isaiah 35:4, for example, reads, "Say to those with anxious heart, 'Take courage, fear not.'" When we become fearful, we first feel an overwhelming need for protection. Many people build tornado shelters, install fire alarms, buy bigger locks for their doors and purchase thousands of dollars of insurance for traveling. Yet, they are still fearful and want more protection from what "could happen."
Second, we tend to procrastinate and put off decisions we know we should make. Some people actually have a hard time going shopping because they fear they'll make the wrong choices.
Third, we find ourselves erecting barriers to keep others from knowing us. Many people are so afraid of rejection in their relationships that they will risk very little.
Fourth, we become obsessed with failing. This is common with anyone who has ever been fired from a job. Still others who actually do succeed, fear they'll lose it all!
Finally, this fear drives us away from God. Some people are afraid of God and His will for their lives. Yet, the best antidote to fear is praying and yielding our lives to God. Notice what Paul says in Philippians 4:6,7 about fear and worry.
How many things are you to worry about? Nothing. Zero. Instead, you should pray about "everything."
But look at the condition "with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." God is not just a personal slot machine in which we inject our prayers. He wants you to approach Him with an attitude of gratefulness for what He has done and for who He is.
As we pray and yield our lives to God, He will not allow fear to control us, but He will protect our hearts.
Prayer: For one another that God would guard your hearts with His peace as you yield your lives to Him.
Discuss: How are your fears affecting you? How are they driving you away from God? How could you apply the truth from Philippians 4:6,7 in your life right now?
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God Fears
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Posted:Mar 25, 2010 2:52 pm
Last Updated:Nov 17, 2025 8:15 pm 11438 Views
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Good Fears Exodus 20:20
"Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin."
Former President Franklin D. Roosevelt was close to being right when he said, "There is nothing to fear but fear itself!" What Roosevelt didn't mention was there are actually two good kinds of fear. The first good kind of fear is the fear of God or a reverential awe of God. The Bible speaks a lot about this fear in Proverbs 1 when it says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." As we fear God, we begin to realize that not only does this fear help us honor Him and keep us from sinning, but also that God is our fortress and our stronghold and we can trust Him.
The second kind of fear is the raw fear of self-preservation. This fear can be good or it can be unhealthy, depending on whether you are facing a real danger or just one that you perceive. When confronted with real danger, this fear can save your life!
I experienced this fear while trying to unhook a fishing lure that got hung up across a stream in the Rocky Mountains. I looked down the path and spotted a rattlesnake as big as your arm in front of me. In that moment, I felt stark terror, and I turned and ran.
Perceived dangers, however, can provoke the same kind of terror. And these, unfortunately, cause fear more often than real danger. I'll never forget when my Benjamin was about three, and he woke up screaming. Standing up in his bed, his eyes looking like half-dollars, he cried out, "Daddy, there's tigers everywhere!" So I pulled out my imaginary gun and shot all the tigers. "There, , they're gone," I said. That calmed him down and he fell asleep again.
As adults, we can be just like my Benjamin-we perceive something as real, when it isn't. When we live our lives as though the mythical "tigers" are real, we waste emotional energy that can be used in living life purposely and serving others sacrificially.
Prayer: Ask the Lord to help you fear Him and to recognize when you are acting fearful because of perceived danger rather than real danger.
Discuss: Talk about any real dangers or "tigers" (perceived fears) that are present in your life right now.
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A Basement Full of Fears
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Posted:Mar 24, 2010 1:57 pm
Last Updated:Nov 17, 2025 8:15 pm 11374 Views
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A Basement Full of Fears 1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.
I don't remember when my brother told me about "the creature," but I can recall as a little tyke standing at the top of the stairs looking down into the deep darkness of our basement. It was a dark, damp and dingy kind of place. Of course, I didn't know it but my brother pulled a trick on me when he told me about the most grisly, meanest bogeyman you've ever seen. On occasion, my mom would send me downstairs to get some canned green beans or some potatoes she stored in our basement. You've never seen a run so fast. I'd set a world record going down and up those stairs. Although I never saw that bogeyman, I heard him frequently. And it scared the daylights out of me. In fact, to this day, when I stand at the top of those same stairs, I still feel a leftover trace of that same fear.
Are there any bogeymen in your life? You may couch it in terms like "I'm concerned about this," or "I've been thinking about this a lot." But anyway you slice it, most of us are fearful. We're fearful about the future, about where our lives our going. We're even fearful of God's will.
Hate is not the opposite of love, fear is. As 1 John 4:18 says, "perfect love casts out fear." To be secure in God's love and protection of us, we must have faith. And we can't manufacture spiritual fruit ourselves. Sheer effort alone does not make good fruit grow. Zechariah 4:6 says, "'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts." As God's Spirit works in us and through us to develop this fruit, He will take away our fear and fill us with His love.
Prayer: Ask God to begin removing fears in your life by filling you with His love and with His Spirit.
Discuss: What are your top three fears in life right now? Share them with one another and talk about why you are afraid in each of these areas. When you pray, pray for your spouse to be delivered from all his or her fears.
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The Trouble with the 50/50 Plan
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Posted:Mar 22, 2010 2:54 pm
Last Updated:Nov 17, 2025 8:15 pm 11383 Views
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The Trouble with the "50/50 Plan" Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
When two people get married, they have expectations of how the relationship should work. Often, the unspoken assumption is that "My spouse will meet me halfway." Sometimes it's called "The 50/50 Plan." When the husband and wife operate on this pattern, it's easy for it to spread to other members of the family. The "50/50 Plan" says, "You do your part, and I'll do mine." This concept sounds logical, but families who use it are destined for disappointment.
Among the problems with "The 50/50 Plan" is that giving is based on merit and performance. We focus more on what the other person is giving than on what we are doing. Love is withheld until the other person meets our expectations. Since this way of measuring out our love is subjective, the motivation for our actions is based merely on how we feel.
It's impossible to ever know if a person has ever met you halfway. As Thomas Fuller said, "Each thinks his pack is heaviest."
Early in our marriage we tried this plan. I would give affection to Barbara only when I felt she had earned it by keeping the house running smoothly. Barbara would show me affection and praise only when I would hold up my end by getting home on time, keeping the house in a reasonable state of repair, or working in her garden.
Contrast this with the type of love God shows for us. You might say that, no matter what we do, He gives us 100 percent. As Romans 5:8 shows, He gives us love even when we don't deserve it.
I propose that couples adopt "The 100/100 Plan" in marriage. Under this plan, each person gives 100 percent no matter what the other person does.
Prayer: That God's spirit of unmerited giving will permeate the heart of each member of your family.
Discuss: As you look at your marriage, do you think you've been operating according to "The 50/50 Plan"? Write down some specific ways.
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Slaying the Phantom Part three
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Posted:Mar 19, 2010 11:13 am
Last Updated:Nov 17, 2025 8:15 pm 11406 Views
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Slaying the Phantom (Part Three) Psalm 73:26 (NIV)
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
My own phantom is just as lofty and unattainable as Barbara's: He rises early, has a quiet time reading the Bible and praying, then jogs several seven-minute miles. After breakfast with his family, he presents a 15-minute devotional. Never forgetting to hug and kiss his wife good-bye, he arrives at work 10 minutes early. He is consistently patient with his coworkers, always content with his job. His desk is never cluttered, and he is confidently in control. He arrives home on time every day and never turns down his when they want to play. He is well read in world events, politics and important social issues. He never gets discouraged, never wants to quit and always has the right words for any circumstances. He constantly plans romantic outings for his wife and himself. He can quote large sections of Scripture in a single bound, has faith more powerful than a locomotive and is faster than a speeding bullet when solving family conflicts. Ultimately these phantoms put us under a crushing pile of guilt. And here's where the marriage relationship can really help. Sit down with your mate and spend some time describing your own phantoms. Ask your mate where these expectations came from. Talk about which of these expectations are realistic and which are not.
Prayer: That God will use you to encourage one another and build into each other's lives.
Discuss: Make up a new list of goals for yourself. Make them realistic and attainable. Then evaluate them with your mate.
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