Teach Intentionally..."Family Time…Jesus serves by saving you", with Stacy A. Davis ~ Bible Teacher and Sky Ranch Board Member

Family Time…Jesus serves by saving you

Did you have a wonderful day of THANKS last week? I hope your family spent a little time discussing something they were thankful for. Expressing thankfulness is a learned behavior, I have decided. It is not something that you naturally do, but it must be taught. Thankfulness is often felt, but not often expressed and it is the act of expressing that matters. This month’s family time topic from the “Sky Ranch Family Devotional: Follow the Leader” is on “Jesus is God’s Servant“ and the weekly discussion is on “Jesus serves by saving us and our response.“ If you have ever had a near death experience and were saved by someone, your natural response would be thankfulness to the person who saved you….right? It is the same with Jesus. Jesus saves each person who believes in Him from a near death experience. You may not realize that you even had a near death experience, but the Bible defines death as separation from God. Trusting and following Jesus, God’s Son, prevents your separation from God the Father. It prevents your eternal death or eternal separation from God. This week’s topic gives your family the opportunity to talk about “how” Jesus saves you and about “what” you are saved from. Take this opportunity teach your kids about the need for salvation, Jesus’ salvation gift to you and a response of thankfulness.

As a Mom, I think sin and salvation topic is a very important conversation to have with your kids and it may be a conversation that needs to be repeated from time to time. As my kids grew, they were able to understand better by repeating conversations. It can take time for concepts to sink in. I also, used this topic to talk about thankfulness. Many people (me included) tend to focus on the negatives. I have a hard time noticing the good things to be thankful for…and my son was like me. I did not really notice it in myself until I saw it in him. Have you had that happen? Kids have a way of humbling you. To help both of us, we started talking about things we were thankful for at dinner. Each of the family members would share two things to be thankful for that day. I noticed that all of our attitudes began to change by focusing on “good” things. It is the same with things of God. The more you notice the good that God is doing and give thanks…your attitude will improve and become more positive towards Him and your life.

This week in your family time, I would encourage you to prepare by praying for your family and asking God to show you the best way to approach the sin and salvation topic. Pray for God to help you clarify any areas of confusion. Pray for God to guide your discussion as you evaluate your response for Jesus’ amazing gift to your family of the ability to live life in close relationship with God. Pray for God to show you if anyone struggles with thankfulness or even just being positive too. Pray for God to help your family see that their thankful hearts can actually serve and minister to others when they share a thankful attitude. 

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

Sky Ranch Family Devotionals and

Teach Intentionally Author

This week we are in the 3^rd Topic and  13^th  Family Time (or page  31) of the Sky Ranch Devotional “Follow the Leader”…

Family Time 13:

Topic 3: Jesus was sent as God’s Servant…Jesus serves by saving us and your response

Talk with God: Read…Scriptures and questions below.

1 John 3:8  …The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

• In 1 John 3:8, what did Jesus destroy?

1 John 4:13  By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.  14 And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son [to be] the Savior of the world.  15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

• In 1 John 4:14, what was the Son sent to be?

1 John 4:10  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins.  11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

• In 1 John 4:10, His Son is propitiation (payment) for what? 

Isaiah 53:11  As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see [it] and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities.

• In Isaiah 53:11, what does the Servant bear?

Walk with God: Discuss… Jesus destroyed Satan’s work and saved you. What do you need to be saved from? How did Jesus save you?

Prayer suggestion… Pray for God to save you from your sin.

Family Time 13: 

Leader Answers:

• The works of the devil
• The Savior of the world
• Sins
• Iniquities (sins)
• Discussion ideas: You need to be saved from your habitual sin. Satan holds us hostage by sin. Isaiah 53:6 defines sin as turning to your own way as opposed to God’s way. Romans 6:23 says the wages (payment) for sin is death.  Isaiah 53:11 explains how Jesus saved you. We are told that when you repent and believe Jesus, God at the cross placed your sin on Jesus and when God saw the anguish of Jesus’ soul, God was satisfied and the many (you and me) were justified (declared right) in that moment. So, Jesus paid for your sins by His death. How does that make you feel toward Jesus?

© 2012 Stacy A. Davis, Inc. All rights reserved.