Family Time…God knows your needs and limits temptations
Are you “a take matters into your own hands” kind of person? If you are, is it a struggle to trust God as your Provider? For the “take charge” person, which is often men, but it can be women too…trusting God is one of the biggest challenges. God provide us with intelligence and skill so that you can take care of yourself and others. But sometimes God places you in a situation to show you how much you actually trust Him or don’t trust Him. He uses the situation to teach you about yourself and your own heart. Can you see yourself wandering in the wilderness and trusting God for your next drink or meal as the people of Israel did in Nehemiah? Do you recognize God as He provides drink, food or clothing now? God is providing for you now…you just have to open your eyes, see it, and give Him the credit. It helps to recognize Him in the obvious provisions when life is easier. Then, in the challenging times, you will learn to see Him there too.
As a Mom when I was raising toddlers, one of my biggest challenges was to fight the urge to race in a save my child as they began to walk. God provided my child with legs, very wobbly at first, but they worked. I understood that He had provided for my child, but I still had difficulty trusting that my child was ready to use them. I was tempted to always jump in and catch my child on their wobbly legs, but each time that I did, I prevented my child from learning to stabilize him or herself. There is a balance. I wanted to prevent a serious fall, but I did not want to hinder learning to walk independently. Both of the family time topics for this week focus on trusting God to provide for your needs and not giving into temptation. God used my time as a toddler Mom to help me learn to trust Him and not give into the temptation to always fix things for my kids. This verse has helped me…”fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe” (Proverb 29:25). Today, I still have to trust that God has provided for my kids and resist the temptation to fix things for them. I personally think trusting God to parent instead of me… is one of my biggest challenges as a parent. Sometimes, I just need to keep my opinion to myself and let my kids struggle through experiences in their lives and figure it out themselves. Easier said than done! It can be hard to hold my tongue! But, just like with the walking stage, if I keep intervening, I will actually hinder their learning.
This week in your family time, I would encourage you to prepare by praying for your family and asking God to show you if you truly trust God to provide for your needs and your family’s needs. Ask Him to show you if you or your husband have difficultly resisting the temptation to “fix” things for your kids. Every parent has difficulty letting their kids “fail”…but do you prevent their failures so much that life lessons are missed too? There is a balance. Pray and ask God to show you the balance and ask Him to give you the wisdom to guide each family member so that you prevent serious blunders, but do not hinder them from learning valuable life lessons.
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 10th Month Topic and 4th & 5th Family Time (or page 88 & 89) of the Sky Ranch Devotional “Open Your Eyes”…
Family Time 4:
Month 10 Topic: God is my Provider…Needs
Talk with God: Read…Nehemiah 9:15, Nehemiah 9:21
~ Nehemiah 9:15 You provided bread from Heaven for them for their hunger, You brought forth water from a rock for their thirst.
- In verse 15, what did God provide? Where did the water come from?
~ Nehemiah 9:21 Indeed, forty years You provided for them in the wilderness and they were not in want; their clothes did not wear out, nor did their feet swell.
- In verse 21, how long did God provide for them in the wilderness? Were they in want? Did their clothes wear out? Did their feet swell?
Walk with God: Discuss… These verses remind us of how great God is and that He truly does supply all of our needs. Who among you has clothes you have worn for 40 years? Probably no one in your family still wears clothes that are 40 years old. When God provides, He really provides! Why is it important to thank God for our food prior to eating a meal? Recommit to doing this as a family before each meal. It will make mealtime much more enjoyable!
Prayer suggestion… “God, thank you for new clothes! And every meal we eat on a daily basis. Thank you for meeting our most basic needs like food, water and clothing.”
Family Time 4:
Leader Answers:
- Bread and water; from a rock
- 40 years; no; no; no
- Discussion ideas: Mealtime prayers are a great way to bring community to your family. Encourage your little ones to bow their heads to pray, even when they are not with you or at home. Prayers can be silent, but giving thanks is important.
Family Time 5:
Month 10 Topic: God is my Provider…Freedom from temptation
Talk with God: Read…1 Corinthians 10:13
~ 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, Who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.
- According to this Scripture, will God allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to endure?
- Will He always provide a way of escape?
Walk with God: Discuss…Temptation is a scary thing sometimes. We don’t know when it will rear its ugly head next. Jesus was tempted. He knows how we feel when we are tempted. He escaped the temptation and so can we, according to this verse. Why is it hard to escape? Is it sometimes easier to give in to the temptation? What have you been tempted with this week, today, in the last hour?
Prayer suggestion… Thank God for providing everything in your life. Thank Him for providing a way out of temptation and for making your family stronger through temptation.
Family Time 5:
Leader Answers:
- No
- Yes
- Discussion ideas: Matthew 4 tells the story of Jesus’ temptation by Satan. This might be a good chapter to read to discuss temptation. Notice that Jesus counters Satan with Scripture…that works for us, too!
© 2011 Lisa Clark and Stacy A. Davis, Inc. All rights reserved.
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