Family Time…Serve like Jesus
Do you enjoy giving gifts? I love it! What about each person in your family? Do they enjoy giving to others? In December, we celebrate that Jesus was born on earth. It was a huge moment for all mankind! God, the Son, was sent to earth in the form of a baby to help all of mankind as a gift from God, the Father...we just need to accept God’s free gift. In return, God asks that we will trust Him and follow Jesus. Following Jesus encourages you to imitate His behavior and reach out and serve those around you. This month’s family time topic from the “Sky Ranch Family Devotional: Follow the Leader” is on “Jesus was sent as God’s Servant“ and the weekly discussion is on “Serve like Jesus and the strength to help others.“ This section of the devotional has been exploring the question “Why did Jesus come to earth?” We know that Jesus brought the plan of eternal salvation and the plan for an abundant life while on earth. He also said “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:35) The goal is to teach your family to imitate Jesus and show His loving-kindness to others.
As a Mom, I found teaching my kids to serve others was a big challenge. Today kids want to be served and parents are trained to serve their kids instead of the other way around. It is really hard to go against the culture and teach your kids to have a servant heart like Jesus. So, our family had to take baby steps with learning to show loving-kindness to others. We started within our own home and began by making a point to complement each other. It actually had to start with me. I often would think of something nice, but I didn’t take the time to say it to the other person. I had to make an effort to say my complements and then ask the rest of my family to make the same effort. Slowly we learned to share our gifts of kind words outside our family by sharing these random acts of kindness with others. We would make a point to say something nice to someone outside our family. It eventually helped each of us form a habit to try to notice opportunities to reach out to others.
This week in your family time, I would encourage you to prepare by praying for your family and asking God to reveal your family’s attitude toward serving. Pray for God to help you teach your family to have a servant heart toward your family and others. Pray that they will learn to show God’s loving-kindness where ever they go and that their servant hearts will be evident to others outside your family.
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 3rd Topic and 15th Family Time (or page 33 ) of the Sky Ranch Family Devotional “Follow the Leader”…
Family Time 15:
Topic 3: Jesus was sent as God’s Servant…Serve like Jesus and strength to help others
Talk with God: Read…Scriptures and questions below.
Acts 20:35 “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
- In Acts 20:35, who are you to help?
Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.
- In Hebrews 4:16, if you draw near to Jesus’ throne, what will you find?
John 12:26 “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall My servant also be; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.”
- In John 12:26, who follows Jesus?
- In John 12:26, who does God the Father honor?
Walk with God: Discuss… Do you like to struggle with a difficult task? I don’t! Did you know that Jesus tells you He will help you? We just have to ask. How does Jesus help you when you are weak? How does He help you serve others?
Prayer suggestion… Pray for God to help you serve others.
Family Time 15:
Leader Answers:
- The weak
- Grace to help in time of need
- Those serving Jesus
- Jesus’ servant
- Discussion ideas: When Jesus asks us to serve others, we don’t have to do this alone. Jesus helps us supernaturally through the Holy Spirit. Philippians 4:13 says “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me,” and Hebrews 4:16 shows we can go to Jesus and find help in a time of need. Do you turn to Jesus for help? Ask Jesus for a super-natural help. Then, Jesus will help you help others…Have you ever helped someone weaker than you? How did they respond?
© 2012 Stacy A. Davis, Inc. All rights reserved.
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