Sky Ranch Family Devotional…Truth in God’s Word, with Stacy A. Davis ~ Bible Teacher and Sky Ranch Board Member

Family Fun Icebreaker: What is your favorite Bible verse? 

Question: Who do you trust?

Topic 1: Trust—Truth and Faith

Today’s Big Idea: Truth in God’s Word

Share with your family that the Bible is a form of truth which serves as a useful guide in your relationship with God. The Bible also gives guidelines for learning the right way to live life and for having productive relationships with family and friends.
The questions give your family the opportunity to talk about how you define right and wrong. Encourage your family to discuss their source of truth. Share why you value your source of truth. Teach each other what you look for, or listen for, to recognize truth. Recognizing truth in everyday situations is a valuable life lesson to share with each other. Sometimes it is difficult to see truth on your own; however, praying about it helps. God tells you that His Word, the Holy Bible, is truth. His truth is to lead you and teach you. Jesus said that He is the truth and His truth leads you to God, the Father.

Talk with God: Read scripture and questions below.
John 17:17 (ESV) (Jesus is speaking): “Sanctify (clean) them in the
truth; your word is truth.”
Psalm 25:5 (ESV): “Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation...”
John 14:6 (ESV) (Jesus is speaking): “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Walk with God:
Discuss with younger kids: Learning who you can trust is important to know. Some people lie. You know it is good to tell the truth and you like it when others are truthful with you. How do you know what the truth is? Where did you learn the difference between right and wrong? Who or what teaches you truth? How?
Discuss with older kids: To decide who you trust, you have to begin with a decision in truth. God gives you the truth in His Word, but others can claim to know a truth that opposes God’s truth. How do you decide who really tells the truth? How does your definition of truth define who you trust?

Prayer suggestion: Ask God to show you who is telling the truth. 

I will be praying for you!
Stacy

Stacy A. Davis, Author
Sky Ranch Family Devotionals 
© 2013 Stacy A. Davis, Inc. All rights reserved.

Lisa Life Lesson- " Praying Scripture over our Children"

I believe in the power of prayer.  Even more than that, I believe in the power of praying the scripture over our children.  God’s word is alive.  When we pray it, we unleash the power of the Holy Spirit.  I’ve prayed scripture over my children their entire lives.  God gets all the glory for the work He does in and through them.  

As your children start a new, fresh school year, here’s prayers of protection to pray over them.  Remember, God didn’t leave His throne when that class list was put together.  He is in control.  Give Him total control to do His will in the life of your/His child.  I’m praying protection (amongst other things) over my sophomore at Baylor this year.  Here’s my prayer sheet for her.  You can insert your child’s name where Camryn’s name is.  God bless you, MOM.  You’re WOW upside down, you know?!

Prayers of Protection for Camryn

Lord God, honor the prayers I lift up to You for Camryn’s protection.  Protect her at all times through the praying of Your word in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

God, in accordance with Your Word…

I pray that Camryn knows that the Lord God, who goes before her, will fight for her.  Deuteronomy 1:30

I pray the Jesus has given Camryn the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt her.  Luke 10:19

I pray that no weapon formed against Camryn shall prosper and every tongue which rises against her in judgment, You, God, shall condemn.  Isaiah 54:17

I pray that if Camryn will indeed obey your voice, God, and do all You speak, then you will be an enemy to her enemies and an adversary to her adversaries.  

Exodus 23:22

I pray that you, Lord, are faithful, who will establish Camryn and guard her from the evil one.  1 Thessalonians 3:3

I pray that if God is for Camryn, who can be against her? Romans 8:31

In the powerful name of Jesus Christ, I pray these things.  Selah. 

(From Praying God’s Will for My Daughter by Lee Roberts)

Blessings,

Lisa

Sky Ranch SkyMoms Parenting Mentor

Lisa Life Lesson- "Here's to a Great New School Year!"

Binders, Crayons, Backpacks, a clean slate and new shoes...A NEW SCHOOL YEAR IS HERE!

Summer is over (almost) and school is upon us.  I love it.  We're about to send Camryn back to Baylor and she is ready to go.  All good things must come to an end. 

My favorite part of a new school year is getting my Mom Calendar out and all filled in.  New dates and new responsibilities.  Kid's activities. Meetings. Functions. Games. Practices.  It's so fun...for about 29 days.  Then reality sets in that I have a year's worth of activities, meetings, functions, practices...wait a minute? Who signed us up for all of this? Who got our family in this situation? We're running around like chickens with our heads cut off! Whyyy??? How did this happen???

Me.  It was me.  I signed us up for all of this.  I signed her up for soccer because all my friend's kids were playing soccer and I wanted to be with my friends, so I signed my daughter up for soccer.  Which includes 2 practices a week and a game on the weekend.  I signed him up for skills classes every Tuesday and Thursday because Mr. __________ said if he didn't take skills classes he would be left behind on the team and we don't want him left him left behind on the team for heaven's sake.  

You get the picture.  We are eager to go at the first of the school year and are "sign me up happy!"  We never consider our schedule, our family... or God's best.  

Here's a thought.  BEFORE signing up for anything, pray.  Bring the options before the Lord and seek Him.  Ask for peace and guidance over your school year.  Seek The Lord.  Ask for balance. 

Here's what happens when we just jump in and don't pray:  We get crazy, unbalanced and resentful.  Mad.  Our family is wheels off and we want to blame someone.  But the reality is we did this to ourselves.  Don't feel pressure to do it all.  Your kids are in 3rd grade once.  Don't miss it.  

Praying over scheduling puts God in charge.  This is where you want to be.  Under Him.

God bless you! It's going to be a great year!

Blessings,

Lisa

Sky Ranch SkyMoms Parenting Mentor

Prayer Encouragement: "To Do!" by SkyMom, Terrie Chevaillier

To Do!

I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons.  I have set the Lord always before me;

Because He is at my right hand-

I will not be moved.

Psalm 16:7-8

Fill in the blank problem:______________.   What do I do?   

What do I do and what am I supposed to trust God to do?

How many times has this question surfaced in your mind regarding 

how to handle an issue or a problem regarding your children or something they are going through that is completely out of your control?

At times, we can just be mentally bombarded with what I am supposed to do.

We have three answers for times like this found in Psalm 16:7-8

1. Bless the Lord for past and present counsel.
2. Listen to the Holy Spirit who speaks to you.
3. Set the Lord before you and refuse to be moved by the circumstance.

Go back to the passage above and see why it is possible to not be moved.

It says because He is at my right hand…I will not be moved.

Jesus is the right hand.

 So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God Mark 16:19

Because of what has already been done on the cross, we do not have to be moved.

He is with us.  The answer to the to do…has already been done.

Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding for us.

We can trade our power of fretful to do’s over to His power that is accessible to us and accomplishes much.

Let’s Pray God’s Word:

Heavenly Father, thank You that I can come to you with everything that is dear to me and my children.  I thank You and praise You for all of the counsel You have given me in past times.

When I look back and see, it is exceedingly and abundantly more than I could have asked or imagined.

When I wake up in the night fretful, or am bombarded during the day with what I am supposed to do, guide me by the power of Your spirit.

Instruct me on how to handle all circumstances with my children.

I do not want to be moved into anxiety, fretting, or worry.

Thank You that You are at my right hand.

I will not be moved.

Amen.

~ Terrie Chevaillier