Family Time…How are you forgiven?
A new year means new beginnings! I love the potential of a new year. It is a chance to start over! I enjoy painting and I love the blank canvas because it represents all the potential of creating something new. It is the same feeling you have when you have been cleared of any charge, including being a new person in Jesus. You have a new beginning and there is so much potential of all that you can be in Him. This month’s family time topic from the “Sky Ranch Family Devotional: Follow the Leader” is on “Jesus forgives and heals you“ and the weekly discussion is on “How are you forgiven?“ As your family continues the discussions of Jesus’ mission of being sent to earth to forgive and heal you, a natural question will be to ask...how are your forgiven? What do you need to do to be forgiven by God? During family time, your family has talked about sin and forgiveness. But you still need to have a conversation on confession and repentance. Confession to God is an outspoken agreement with God that you have sinned against Him and repenting to God is apologizing and committing to change your behavior by no longer continuing to act offensively toward God. Once you have committed to repent in your heart and confessed it with your mouth to someone else, then God accepts your apology when you believe in Jesus and you are cleared of your debt against God.
As a Mom, the best way to relate confession and repentance to God was to compare it to confession and repentance in the relationship with my kids. God gives our life on earth as an example and we can use it to explain the spiritual relationship with God. I just paralleled how our family handled resolving a family fight to resolving your fight with God. Both work in a similar way. The two are enemies because of sin, the sinner confesses and commits to stop sinning and asks forgiveness, the sinner changes and no longer offends, the offended person forgives and gives up their right to punish the sinner, and peace between the two is made. It is simply a commitment in the heart and mind and spoken to God in prayer.
This week in your family time, I would encourage you to prepare by praying for your family and asking God to help your family celebrate the potential of a new year and explain God’s forgiveness to your family and the ability to start over with a new beginning in God’s eyes. These are important topics and even though your family may tell you they understand, it is still a good idea to repeat it. Pray for God to work on their hearts and draw anyone to Him that still is not in a relationship of peace with Him.
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 4th Topic and 18th Family Time (or page 39 ) of the Sky Ranch Family Devotional “Follow the Leader”…
Family Time 18:
Topic 4: Jesus forgives and heals you…How are you forgiven?
Talk with God: Read… Scriptures and questions below.
Acts 2:36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ-- this Jesus whom you crucified." …38 And Peter [said] to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
- In Acts 2:38, what is the first thing to do if you want your sins forgiven?
- In Acts 2:38, what is received?
Colossians 2:13 …(This is about what God did through Jesus) He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us [and] which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
- In Col. 2:13, how does God make you alive with Jesus?
1 John 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.
- In 1 John 5:13, what do you need to do in order to have eternal life?
Walk with God: Discuss… You can have your debt to God cancelled! Your payment for sin can be made. What do you do to be forgiven? What is repenting? What will you receive?
Prayer suggestion… Pray for God to forgive your sins.
Family Time 18:
Leader Answers:
- Repent
- The gift of the Holy Spirit
- By forgiving all of our transgressions (sin), cancelled out debt, and taking it out of the way
- Believe in the name of the Son of God, Jesus
- Discussion ideas: In order to be forgiven, you need to repent. Repenting involves confessing (agreeing with God on) sin and making a change so that you no longer do the sinful behavior as a lifestyle. Accept and believe Jesus. Then, receive the Holy Spirit who will help you stop sinning. Why would you want help to stop habitually sinning?
© 2012 Stacy A. Davis, Inc. All rights reserved.
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