Family Time…God’s grace
This month the family devotional focus is on the topic of God saving you and it begins by discussing how God saves you. Do you know how? It is not by anything that you have done, but He saves you because of His own mercy and grace that He gives to you. Each of person can ask themselves…why would God save me? Am I worth saving? In the end, each of person might question if they are worthy…but God has a different plan and He does not saved you because you deserve it, nor does He skip you because you do not deserve it. It has nothing to do with you and everything to do with Him! God chooses to extend His mercy and give you grace because He has chosen to give it to you. You can’t earn it from your own merit. God lets you understand Him and He opens your spiritual eyes to see Him and accept His grace. And since none of us know who God has chosen, you are to share His message with anyone. There is hope for anyone!
As a Mom, I think the best way to explain this concept of grace and mercy is to relate it to the last time your kids got into trouble at home. I found that if I reminded them of their most recent incident that did receive a punishment, then I could explain that is how God sees you and me. He sees each time that we break His rules in scripture (IE:. The 10 commandments). I asked my kids how would they have felt if I had chosen not to punish their bad behavior if they truly were remorseful and committed to not repeat the bad behavior again? They answered that they would have felt happy and relieved. Then, I explained that is like God’s mercy and grace. I explained that when you choose to believe Jesus and accept Him as your personal Lord of your life, then God releases you of the punishment (that is the mercy) that you should have gotten from breaking His rules because you accepted His free gift of grace. In that moment of trusting Jesus, you are stating that you are remorseful for your sin and are committing to stop sinning and you are admitting that you need God’s help to do it. Then, God then commits to help you follow Him by sending the Holy Spirit to help you.
This week in your family time, I would encourage you to prepare by praying for your family and asking God if anyone does not understand God’s mercy and grace. These are challenging concepts. Pray and ask God to give you the words and help you explain God’s mercy and grace in a way that your family will best understand. Understanding God’s mercy and grace are some of the most comforting teachings that you can teach your kids. There is so much hope in understanding that you deserve a punishment and you are going to be spared! We all understand that concept! Encourage your kids to respond by thanking God for His amazing grace and mercy at the end of your family time!
Do you have questions or need prayer for your family? Email me at SkyMoms@skyranch.org.
I will be praying for you!
Stacy
Stacy A. Davis
Teach Intentionally
This week we are in the 11th Month Topic and 1st Family Time (or page 93 ) of the Sky Ranch Devotional “Open Your Eyes”…
Family Time 1:
Month 11 Topic: God saves us…Receiving grace
Talk with God: Read…Isaiah 45:22, Ephesians 2:8-9
~ Isaiah 45:22 Turn to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
- In Isaiah 45:22, what does God claim to do for us?
~ Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.
- In Ephesians 2:8-9, we are saved by grace through what? Can we save ourselves according to this verse? Can we work for salvation?
Walk with God: Discuss… When we talk about being saved, what are we being saved from? Discuss the acrostic for grace – G – God’s; R – Riches; A – At; C – Christ’s; E – Expense. What does it mean to you to receive grace? Remind each other that even our very best day is still dotted with sin and disappointment.
Prayer suggestion… Thank God for grace and salvation. Without the sacrifice of Christ on the cross there is no salvation for man. Thank you, Jesus!
Family Time 1:
Month 11 Topic: God saves us
Leader Answers:
- Save us
- Faith; no; no
- Discussion ideas: Grace is getting what we don’t deserve and not getting what we deserve.
© 2011 Lisa Clark and Stacy A. Davis, Inc. All rights reserved.
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