Family Time…We are adopted
As we enter April, the Sky Ranch Family Devotional focus is changing to the topic on God’s guidance and care for you. At the salvation moment a shift happens, God becomes your heavenly Father and you become a child of God. Scripture tells you that you are adopted by God in that moment and you become a son or daughter and an heir (Galatians 4:7). As an adopted child, God treats us differently than those who are not adopted. God guides and cares for His adopted children. Jeremiah 31:9 tells us God leads His children down a straight path so that they will not stumble and they will be able to be sustained by streams of water. God is saying as your Father He will give you the correct guidance to live life the right way so that you will succeed and are sustained. God promises to give you His help and guidance, if you will listen to Him.
As a child my parents tried to tell me the right things to do, but many times I chose not to listen. In my stubbornness and failure to listen, I developed some ugly habits. Later after I became a true child of God, God saw that I had several bad habits that needed some correction. God took some time working on me over several years; He had me live through some difficult moments, and as a result, corrections in my behavior were made and my lifestyle started to clean up. Right there… God’s actions removed for me the pressures of “parenting,” because I realized that even if I do not successfully teach my kids key lessons, God will pick up where my efforts failed. He truly is the ultimate parent. In retrospect, even though I saw the value in the lessons that God taught me, it would have been easier…if I had just listened to my parents.
This week in your family time, I would encourage you to prepare by praying for your family…ask God to reveal how your family thinks of Him. Does anyone have trouble seeing God as a loving and compassionate Father? Think about each person’s relationship with their earthly fathers…is it a good or bad relationship? If the relationship with the earthly father has been a challenge, pray for that family member. It may take time and a lot of prayer, scripture study and effort to connect that God is a very different Father than the earthly father. God is a Father that you can always trust…whether or not you can trust the earthly father. He desires the highest good for you and works things together for your ultimate good. In your Family Time, spend time openly sharing how each person relates to God, the Father. If there are challenges in understanding God as a loving and kind Father, spend time alone with that family member and search for scripture that gives insight into God’s character…you will be blessed by the search. If you need help, email me and I will send you references. For those who have been blessed with a great parent/child relationship, you can spend time paralleling the usefulness of having a positive role-modeling relationship and the leadership that it has provided. Enjoy listening to each other!
Do you need help or prayer for your family time? Email me at SkyMoms@skyranch.org.
I will be praying for you!
Stacy
Stacy A. Davis
Teach Intentionally
This week we are in the 8th Month Topic and 1st Family Time (or page 69 ) of the Sky Ranch Devotional “Open Your Eyes”…
Family Time 1:
Month 8 Topic: God is my Heavenly Father Who guides and cares for me…We are adopted
Talk with God: Read…Matthew 6:9, Romans 8:15
~ Matthew 6:9 Our Father, who is in Heaven, hallowed be Your name.
- In Matthew 6:9, what type of Father is God?
~ Romans 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”
- In Romans 8:15, why can I call Him “Daddy” or “Father”?
Walk with God: Discuss…the adoption process for choosing a child from an orphanage to a loving home. The Lord loves us so much He has chosen us to be with Him as His child forever. He wants you to be a part of His family. You are part of a large family. How does that affect your view of God, knowing that He has adopted you? How about your view of other Christians?
Prayer suggestion… Pray for God to help us understand the magnitude of His caring for us, and thank Him for choosing us to be a part of His family.
Family Time 1:
Month 8 Topic: God is my Heavenly Father Who guides and cares for me
Leader Answers:
- Holy, Heavenly
- He has adopted me, given me His Spirit
- Discussion ideas: Adoption may be tough for younger members in the family to understand. Explain that Mom and Dad love their adopted kids very much. God loves each of us very much, too. Also, discuss how we are to love other Christians. Let the group discuss their response to other Christians. It can be tough to show that love, especially in the church parking lot! Or if there is division instead of unity among Christians.
© 2011 Tori Miller and Stacy A. Davis, Inc. All rights reserved.
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