Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks!

Open your Bibles to 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and read verses 16 thru 18.

If you’re wondering God’s will for your life, we find it here in His Word: Rejoice always, Pray without stopping and be thankful in all circumstances. Of course, it’s not easy to in the difficulties of life, but God commands us not to worry and to have faith, believing He’s is in control and He’s for us.

Discuss the following questions together:

1. Why is it important to always rejoice and give thanks in everything situation?                                                                   

2. Why does Paul write to “pray without ceasing” meaning to never stop praying? Why is prayer so important?                                        

3. Practically, what are ways I can do this when in a difficult situation and I just don’t feel like it?

Practical: When in a difficult situation… Stop, and Pray!

Make Crooked things Straight!

Open your Bibles to 2 Timothy, chapter 3 and read verses 16 thru 17 together.

Do we take God’s Word for granted? Men, are we washing our wives and children with the water of the Word or are we neglecting this time? Purpose to not only read and know God’s Word, but to intentionally apply it to our daily lives.

Discuss the following questions together as a family:

1. How can God’s Word be profitable for our walk with Christ?                                                                                                                   

2. How does God’s Word thoroughly equip us? What does this mean?  What is our responsibility is this?                                              

3. What does it mean to apply His Word to our daily lives?                                                                

4. What does it mean that God’s Word does not return void? 

Practical: Straigten out the crooked and weak areas of your lives, in your home and in your world.

Be Persecuted for Christ’s Sake!

Open your Bibles to Romans chapter 5 and read verses 3 thru 5 together.

God’s Word promises us trials, tribulations, and persecution as a follower of Jesus. It’s probably not our favorite verse to throw on a pillow or a plaque at home, but God allows us to go through trials to be sanctified, growing to look more like Jesus. These tribulations don’t stand a chance against our hope in Him.

Discuss the following questions together as a family:

1. What trials, tribulations, or persecution have you faced in your life? Have you ever considered giving up on Jesus? Why or why not?                                                                                  

2. How does tribulation produce us to grow in perserverance, character and hope?                       

3. How have you been persecuted for your faith in your life? How did you overcome it?

Practical: Pray for the Persecuted Church daily.

ALL IN for Jesus!

Open your Bibles to Galatians chapter 2 and read verse 20 together.

Saul was a martyr, a man who purposed to murder Christians and on the road to Damascus, Jesus met him and saved him, transforming his life and even giving him a new name — the great apostle Paul. Paul’s life is transformed as he then gives us the definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13 and calls himself a bondservant or a slave to Jesus. Here in his letter to the churches in Galatia, he says that he died when Christ died so his life is no longer his own, but Christ’s who lived in him, who loved him and died for him. Christ has done this same thing for you and for me.

Discuss the following questions together as a family:

1. What decisions does a slave or a prisoner have? Put this in Paul’s analogy, what decisions was he saying that he has as a follower of Jesus?
2. It’s easier to talk the talk than to walk the walk, but how far would you go to follow Jesus? What is something that you would have a hard time doing if God asked you to do it? Is it a mission trip, forgiving your worst enemy, sharing the gospel to your coworker?
3. Jesus radically transformed Paul’s life proving that no one is ever too far gone. What is something that you haven’t fully trusted God with thinking He won’t forgive you and will stop loving you?

Practical: Reflect on God’s faithfulness and where he’s brought you from. Honestly look at your life and recognize what you haven’t given fully to the Lord. Take steps to “Be holy, as I am holy” 1 Peter 1:16

What good works are you doing?!

Open your Bibles to the book of James and read chapter 2, verse 17 together as a family.

We’re saved by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus. If our faith is truly genuine then we’ll want to do good works to glorify our Father in heaven. What good works are you doing today for the glory of God?

Discuss the following questions together:

1. Do the people that you regularly interact with know that you believe in Jesus and love Him? How do you know? What do you do to share your faith with them?
2. What does the Bible mean when it says “…faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”?
3. What are some good works we can do together as a family to glorify God?

Practical: From the list of good works you just talked about, pick one as a family and do it! Remember, it’s all for the glory of God!