Lisa Life Lesson- "Loving Obedience"

Wouldn't it be easy if there was a checklist everyday for us to show our kids to make sure they are perfect kids? Do this, don't do this...and all will be good in the world.

I guess a list like that did exist in the Old Testament.  The law.  The problem with the law is it wasn't possible for the people (you and me) to keep it.  It was perfect.  We aren't.  What did the law do? Pointed us to the holiness of God.  And our need for a Savior.

Enter Jesus.  God saw our need and He delivered.  A King.  Who bore our sins on the cross and took our punishment for us.  Now we enjoy a life with God even though we can't keep the law.

Teaching our kids about the love of Christ is so essential because it also teaches them to love the law.  It teaches them that obedience is a natural response to what God did for us by sending Jesus.  It's all about the heart.

As you teach your children about Jesus, remind them that pleasing Him should be their highest aim.  As they please the Father, they please you.  He will always be with them.  You won't.  

Blessings,

Lisa

Sky Ranch SkyMoms Parenting Mentor

Sky Ranch Family Devotional…Truth in Creation, with Stacy A. Davis ~ Bible Teacher and Sky Ranch Board Member

Family Fun Icebreaker: Where is your favorite place to travel? Why? 

Question: Who do you trust?

Topic 1: Trust—Truth and Faith 

Today’s Big Idea: Truth in Creation

Share with your family that creation itself is a form of truth which proves that there is a Creator.
The questions will give your family the opportunity to explore the wonder of God’s creation. Scripture teaches that creation itself is evidence of God... and YOU are part of that creation! You are wonderfully made and designed by the Creator. Your praise to Him, as you thank Him for the life that He has given you, is actually telling others about His amazing kingdom and power. It is important for your family to talk about how creation acts as evidence of God. As you share, be patient with one another and respect each other’s questions. Your journey of trusting God is a process and each person trusts in Him at his or her own pace. Teach your family that as you share thoughts and feelings, each member of the family is unconditionally loved. Make sure to let your family know that your home needs to be a safe place that listens to each other, welcoming honest discussions. 

Talk with God: Read scripture and questions below.

Romans 1:20 (NASB): “...For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, ...”
Psalm 139:14 (NIV): “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
Psalm 145:9-11 (ESV): “The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you! They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power.”

Walk with God:

Discuss with younger kids: Was God created? No! The only uncreated being is God. He has always existed. He doesn’t begin and He won’t end. What does it mean to be called “Creator”? You are wonderfully made and part of God’s creation. How is God’s creation proof that He is there?
Discuss with older kids: You are wonderfully made! You may not feel wonderfully made sometimes, but God’s Word says you are and His Word is truth. Your very existence is evidence of God, the Creator. Even if you believe in God, you may meet someone someday who doubts God’s existence. Could you use creation as evidence to convince them that God does exist? How?

Prayer suggestion: Praise God for His amazing creation! 

I will be praying for you!
Stacy

Stacy A. Davis, Author
Sky Ranch Family Devotionals 
© 2013 Stacy A. Davis, Inc. All rights reserved.

Prayer Encouragement: "Grace for 2013-14!" by SkyMom, Terrie Chevaillier

Grace for 2013-14!

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do Ephesians 2:8-10

This summer, God did a work in me in regards to this verse.   For some time, I knew it and believed it, however I had the experience to live it this summer.  For the first time in my Christian life I had victory over an extended period of time of actually receiving His grace daily.

I am thankful I received His grace for salvation in eternity years ago and that truth has been written on my heart for some time now.  But, grace for salvation today hadn’t really made its way deep down into the depths of my heart until recently.

 It changed the way I prayed, it changed the way I parented and it changed the way I looked for a solution to a problem.

I know that I cannot work my way into heaven…it is only God’s grace and love that I receive by faith that get me there.  He’s done it all.  I did nothing.

But how about God’s grace for today in the way I parent and shepherd my children.  I don’t know about you, but I get caught up in the “it must be up to me” thinking.  Therefore, I miss His Grace.

Not until I started asking daily for His grace to fall on me, my children, and that which concerns me did I get to live out salvation minute by minute.

My children are God’s handiwork.

Your children are God’s handiwork.

He has given them to me as a gift.

Responsibility comes with that gift.

But it’s His grace that saves them,

Not my good parenting works.

It’s His gift.

They aren’t good enough to deserve it and neither am I.

It’s freely offered.  Even on the WORST of days.

Profound when You believe and receive it.

So, as we approach the 2013-14 school year, I want to encourage Sky Moms to not miss this grace 

that changes everything.  As we start to “work” on our kids this school year….let’s 

remember God’s grace that saves and changes the handiworks among our homes.  

Let’s Pray Gods’ Word:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your grace.

I long to believe it and receive it daily.

Thank You for this gift that came to me completely undeserved and that comes

to my children apart from any good thing they do or I did.

Show me where I have works based parenting hoping that my good endeavors

will change behaviors or manifest good disciplines in all that we encounter in the school year.

Lead me to know Your grace as a mother.

Let it be what guides me as I take the handiworks You have given me and lay them before You

to do the heart changing work.  The work that you did on the cross and is available to us today.

I know You have many good plans prepared for my children.

Let me not miss Your grace as I trust You to see them come to be.

Amen.

~Terrie Chevaillier 

Sky Ranch Family Devotional…Truth in God’s Word, with Stacy A. Davis ~ Bible Teacher and Sky Ranch Board Member

Family Fun Icebreaker: What is your favorite Bible verse? 

Question: Who do you trust?

Topic 1: Trust—Truth and Faith

Today’s Big Idea: Truth in God’s Word

Share with your family that the Bible is a form of truth which serves as a useful guide in your relationship with God. The Bible also gives guidelines for learning the right way to live life and for having productive relationships with family and friends.
The questions give your family the opportunity to talk about how you define right and wrong. Encourage your family to discuss their source of truth. Share why you value your source of truth. Teach each other what you look for, or listen for, to recognize truth. Recognizing truth in everyday situations is a valuable life lesson to share with each other. Sometimes it is difficult to see truth on your own; however, praying about it helps. God tells you that His Word, the Holy Bible, is truth. His truth is to lead you and teach you. Jesus said that He is the truth and His truth leads you to God, the Father.

Talk with God: Read scripture and questions below.
John 17:17 (ESV) (Jesus is speaking): “Sanctify (clean) them in the
truth; your word is truth.”
Psalm 25:5 (ESV): “Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation...”
John 14:6 (ESV) (Jesus is speaking): “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Walk with God:
Discuss with younger kids: Learning who you can trust is important to know. Some people lie. You know it is good to tell the truth and you like it when others are truthful with you. How do you know what the truth is? Where did you learn the difference between right and wrong? Who or what teaches you truth? How?
Discuss with older kids: To decide who you trust, you have to begin with a decision in truth. God gives you the truth in His Word, but others can claim to know a truth that opposes God’s truth. How do you decide who really tells the truth? How does your definition of truth define who you trust?

Prayer suggestion: Ask God to show you who is telling the truth. 

I will be praying for you!
Stacy

Stacy A. Davis, Author
Sky Ranch Family Devotionals 
© 2013 Stacy A. Davis, Inc. All rights reserved.

Lisa Life Lesson- " Praying Scripture over our Children"

I believe in the power of prayer.  Even more than that, I believe in the power of praying the scripture over our children.  God’s word is alive.  When we pray it, we unleash the power of the Holy Spirit.  I’ve prayed scripture over my children their entire lives.  God gets all the glory for the work He does in and through them.  

As your children start a new, fresh school year, here’s prayers of protection to pray over them.  Remember, God didn’t leave His throne when that class list was put together.  He is in control.  Give Him total control to do His will in the life of your/His child.  I’m praying protection (amongst other things) over my sophomore at Baylor this year.  Here’s my prayer sheet for her.  You can insert your child’s name where Camryn’s name is.  God bless you, MOM.  You’re WOW upside down, you know?!

Prayers of Protection for Camryn

Lord God, honor the prayers I lift up to You for Camryn’s protection.  Protect her at all times through the praying of Your word in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

God, in accordance with Your Word…

I pray that Camryn knows that the Lord God, who goes before her, will fight for her.  Deuteronomy 1:30

I pray the Jesus has given Camryn the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt her.  Luke 10:19

I pray that no weapon formed against Camryn shall prosper and every tongue which rises against her in judgment, You, God, shall condemn.  Isaiah 54:17

I pray that if Camryn will indeed obey your voice, God, and do all You speak, then you will be an enemy to her enemies and an adversary to her adversaries.  

Exodus 23:22

I pray that you, Lord, are faithful, who will establish Camryn and guard her from the evil one.  1 Thessalonians 3:3

I pray that if God is for Camryn, who can be against her? Romans 8:31

In the powerful name of Jesus Christ, I pray these things.  Selah. 

(From Praying God’s Will for My Daughter by Lee Roberts)

Blessings,

Lisa

Sky Ranch SkyMoms Parenting Mentor

Lisa Life Lesson- "Here's to a Great New School Year!"

Binders, Crayons, Backpacks, a clean slate and new shoes...A NEW SCHOOL YEAR IS HERE!

Summer is over (almost) and school is upon us.  I love it.  We're about to send Camryn back to Baylor and she is ready to go.  All good things must come to an end. 

My favorite part of a new school year is getting my Mom Calendar out and all filled in.  New dates and new responsibilities.  Kid's activities. Meetings. Functions. Games. Practices.  It's so fun...for about 29 days.  Then reality sets in that I have a year's worth of activities, meetings, functions, practices...wait a minute? Who signed us up for all of this? Who got our family in this situation? We're running around like chickens with our heads cut off! Whyyy??? How did this happen???

Me.  It was me.  I signed us up for all of this.  I signed her up for soccer because all my friend's kids were playing soccer and I wanted to be with my friends, so I signed my daughter up for soccer.  Which includes 2 practices a week and a game on the weekend.  I signed him up for skills classes every Tuesday and Thursday because Mr. __________ said if he didn't take skills classes he would be left behind on the team and we don't want him left him left behind on the team for heaven's sake.  

You get the picture.  We are eager to go at the first of the school year and are "sign me up happy!"  We never consider our schedule, our family... or God's best.  

Here's a thought.  BEFORE signing up for anything, pray.  Bring the options before the Lord and seek Him.  Ask for peace and guidance over your school year.  Seek The Lord.  Ask for balance. 

Here's what happens when we just jump in and don't pray:  We get crazy, unbalanced and resentful.  Mad.  Our family is wheels off and we want to blame someone.  But the reality is we did this to ourselves.  Don't feel pressure to do it all.  Your kids are in 3rd grade once.  Don't miss it.  

Praying over scheduling puts God in charge.  This is where you want to be.  Under Him.

God bless you! It's going to be a great year!

Blessings,

Lisa

Sky Ranch SkyMoms Parenting Mentor

Prayer Encouragement: "To Do!" by SkyMom, Terrie Chevaillier

To Do!

I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons.  I have set the Lord always before me;

Because He is at my right hand-

I will not be moved.

Psalm 16:7-8

Fill in the blank problem:______________.   What do I do?   

What do I do and what am I supposed to trust God to do?

How many times has this question surfaced in your mind regarding 

how to handle an issue or a problem regarding your children or something they are going through that is completely out of your control?

At times, we can just be mentally bombarded with what I am supposed to do.

We have three answers for times like this found in Psalm 16:7-8

1. Bless the Lord for past and present counsel.
2. Listen to the Holy Spirit who speaks to you.
3. Set the Lord before you and refuse to be moved by the circumstance.

Go back to the passage above and see why it is possible to not be moved.

It says because He is at my right hand…I will not be moved.

Jesus is the right hand.

 So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God Mark 16:19

Because of what has already been done on the cross, we do not have to be moved.

He is with us.  The answer to the to do…has already been done.

Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding for us.

We can trade our power of fretful to do’s over to His power that is accessible to us and accomplishes much.

Let’s Pray God’s Word:

Heavenly Father, thank You that I can come to you with everything that is dear to me and my children.  I thank You and praise You for all of the counsel You have given me in past times.

When I look back and see, it is exceedingly and abundantly more than I could have asked or imagined.

When I wake up in the night fretful, or am bombarded during the day with what I am supposed to do, guide me by the power of Your spirit.

Instruct me on how to handle all circumstances with my children.

I do not want to be moved into anxiety, fretting, or worry.

Thank You that You are at my right hand.

I will not be moved.

Amen.

~ Terrie Chevaillier