Family Matters

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 John 3:1-10

TO CHEW ON: "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." 1 John 3:1

What is the stand-out thing about your family? Is it the way many of you look alike? Maybe it’s a special talent, like being a good athlete, actor or musician. Or perhaps it’s the way your family celebrates Christmas and birthdays in its own special way.

What is special about your family?

We probably resemble our physical parents - even though we may not know them. And the way we act is always affected by the personalities and habits of the families we belong to and live with.

There’s another family we belong to, not by birth, but by special invitation. When we ask Jesus into our lives, we become part of God’s family.

Just like people who are part of a human family resemble each other, people who are part of God’s family look and act like God’s children. Which things below describe how members of this family will look and act?

1. have obedient feet.
2. are often angry and go into temper tantrums.
3. are known for a gossiping mouth.
4. can be depended on to tell the truth.
5. swear a lot and use dirty language.
6. have kind eyes.
7. are known for their selfishness.
8. are known for how they love other family members.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for including me in Your family. Help me to act like Your child. Amen.



MORE: One-of-a-kind Family
Write a list of things that make your human family special.

Some ideas: - favorite family meal, memory, holiday, hobby, talent, way to celebrate birthdays, Christmas etc.


ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Is God a Nag?

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Isaiah 30:1-5

TO CHEW ON: “'Woe to the obstinate children,' declares the Lord, 'to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin.'” Isaiah 30:1

What does it mean to nag (click on the verb 'nag') someone? Have you ever done this to someone else? Has anyone ever done this to you? Do you like being nagged?

The people in Judah may have felt that God was nagging them. Prophet after prophet came with messages from Him, telling them to change. In today’s reading Isaiah comes with another warning.


“You are like stubborn children,” he said to the leaders. “Again you are doing things on your own instead of asking for My (God’s) help. You are getting together with Egypt to make your army strong. But you are forgetting to talk to Me about it. As a result things won’t work out.”

God wanted the Israelites to be completely His. He wanted them to pray to Him in trouble. Instead the people had joined their army with the army of Egypt. They did this all on their own. Unscramble the words that tell the things that Isaiah predicts will come to Judah now that they have put their trust in Egypt instead of God - Isaiah 30:5

1. mahse ___________
2. scagidre _____________

"But Pharaoh's protection will be to your shame,
Egypt's shade will bring you disgrace." Isaiah 30:3

When God warns again and again, it’s not nagging. His repeated warnings show His patience and love. Like a good parent, He names the things that grieve Him, tells us there will be consequences and sometimes even tells us what those will be before He punishes us.

When someone tells us something over and over, it’s easy to stop listening and tune them out. Let’s not be that way with God. When He warns, let’s pay attention – before the day of warnings is over and the day of consequences arrives.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the ways you warn us in the Bible. Amen.


MORE: Nag, nag nag
What are the things about which your parents or teachers talk to you again and again?

- Is there a reason for their nagging?

- Is there something you should or could do to get them to stop?



ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Happy Father's Day!

Today is Father's Day in some parts of the world. Don't forget to tell your father, or the person who is like a father to you, that you love them. Tell them 'thanks' for all they do for you.

Thank God that even if you have no earthly father, He is a father to the fatherless.

Parent Problems

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Proverbs 23:19-25

TO CHEW ON: "Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old." Proverbs 23:22

Have you ever had thoughts like this:

- My parents are too serious. They just want me to work and not have any fun.

- My parents are old fashioned. They don’t understand me and my friends.

- My parents don’t let me do anything. All my friends are allowed to do it, why can’t I?

Kids getting along with parents, and parents getting along with kids has been a big deal since kids and parents were invented. In our Bible reading today, Solomon gives advice to kids on how to handle all the do's and don’t's that parents give.

Which things he does not say Proverbs 23:19-25 :

1. Don’t join those who overeat and drink a lot of wine.

2. As long as there’s an adult to supervise, you can go.

3. Be disciplined.

4. Make a project out of becoming wise and getting understanding.

5. You become like the people with whom you hang out.

6. It isn’t a big deal to your parents whether or not you obey them.

7. When you show yourself a wise, good person, you’ll make your parents proud and happy.

Though it may be natural for kids and their parents to have some clashes, it’s important to remember a few things about your parents before you ignore what they say:

1. They know you very well. They have taken care of you for years and have lived with you in good times and bad.

2. They love you very much. Your parents work hard to provide food, clothes and a house for you and want only your best.

3. They have more experience than you have. They may have made some of the same mistakes they see you making. By giving you advice, they may be trying to save you from trouble.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to value, respect, obey and love my parents. Amen.

MORE: My parents

Appreciate the parents you have.

1. Write five things you like/love about your mother.

2. Write five things you like/love about your dad.

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Recipe for Success

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Chronicles 28:4-12

TO CHEW ON: “And you my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.” 1 Chronicles 28:9

David was an old man. He had been king for forty years, but he knew he would soon die. One day he crowned his young son Solomon to rule after him. Then he called the people together to introduce them to their new king.


In front of everyone he challenged Solomon to be a good king and serve God for his whole life. His speech told Solomon how to do that. It went something like this:

“Solomon, be sure you search out all of God’s commands and obey them. Get to know God. Worship Him with a clean heart. Serve Him with a willing mind. Don’t think you can fool Him with pretending. Not only can He see what you do, He also knows your thoughts. Search for Him and He will show Himself to you.

“But if you don’t do these things and instead ignore God and forget Him, He will cast you aside.”

Then David gave Solomon a very precious parcel – the blueprints and plans for the temple. It was time to replace the Tabernacle tent with a building. David had wanted to do it but God had said no. Now David gave Solomon the job of building God’s house.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to seek You, find You and know You. Amen.

MORE:
Can David’s recipe for success still be used by us today?
How do you think a kid today would:

1. Search for God?

2. Get to know God?

3. Worship God with a clean heart?

4. Serve God with a willing mind?

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Set-apart Samson

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Judges 13:1-7 & 24,25

TO CHEW ON: “... You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.” Judges 13:5

Again the Israelites did evil things. Again their enemies troubled them. This time they were oppressed by the Philistines for forty years.

One day during that time an angel came to the wife of Manoah. She had never been able to have any children. “Now you will have a baby,” the angel told her. “God has a special plan for him. When he grows up, he will have the job of winning against the Philistines.”

The angel comes to Manoah and his wife - Artist unknown

In time the baby was born. His parents named him Samson. As he grew, God blessed him. One day God’s Spirit moved him to begin doing the job God had called him to do.

What do you think :
1. Does God still have special plans for people?

2. Who does He have a plan for - only the people who are going to have big jobs like kings or presidents – or everyone else too?

3. Does God have a plan for you? Read Psalm 139:15 - 16.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for knowing me before I was born and making plans for my life. Help me discover what those plans are. Amen.

MORE: Nazarite
Samson was to be raised as a Nazirite.

A Nazarite was a person especially consecrated or devoted to God. Often people would promise to live like a Nazarite for a short time. But Samson was to live as a Nazarite for his whole life. (Judges 13:7)

Nazarites had to obey three rules. Find two of them in today’s story:

1. ____________________________________________________ (Judges 13:4)

2. ____________________________________________________ (Judges 13:6)

3. Never touch any dead person or animal.

Even Samson’s mom had to obey these rules while she was pregnant with Samson.

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

She Proposes to Him

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ruth 3:1-18

TO CHEW ON: “'I will do whatever you say,' Ruth answered." Ruth 3:5

Boaz’s kindness to Ruth got Naomi thinking. Maybe Boaz would be willing to do even more for them. Naomi remembered that Boaz was a relative. He had the right to buy back the land she and her husband had sold when they left Bethlehem years earlier. But if he did that, he would also have to marry Ruth. Would Boaz want to do that? She would find out.

“Take a bath and put on your best clothes,” Naomi said to Ruth one night. “Then go to the threshing floor. When Boaz goes to sleep, lie near him and uncover his feet. When he wakes up, he’ll tell you what to do.”

Did Ruth understand that by doing this she was actually asking Boaz to marry her? Didn’t she know that the man usually asks the woman to marry him? What if he didn’t want to marry her? Whether Ruth understood exactly what she was doing, or thought about how things could turn out – or not, she did exactly as Naomi told her.

1. What happened when Boaz woke up? (Ruth 3:8-11) _________

Ruth sleeps at Boaz's feet - Artist unknown

2. What could come in the way of Boaz marrying Ruth? (Ruth 3:12,13) ______________

The next morning while it was still dark, Boaz sent Ruth home with a shawl full of grain.

Boaz sends Ruth home with a gift - Artist unknown

Later in the day he went to the town gate where business was done. When Naomi’s closest relative came by, Boaz asked him if he would like to buy back Naomi’s land.

The man said, yes, he would. Then Boaz reminded him that if he did that, he would also have to marry Ruth. So the man changed his mind. He said Boaz could buy the land instead. Now Boaz was free to buy Naomi’s land – and make Ruth his bride.

How wonderfully God took care of Ruth when she listened to her mother-in-law’s advice.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank you for parents. Help me to listen to and take their wise advice. Amen.

MORE: Jesus’ family tree
Did you know that Ruth is part of Jesus’ family tree? In time Ruth and Boaz had a baby boy named Obed. He was David’s grandfather. If Ruth and David had met, David would have called her Great-great-grandma.

1. Find Ruth’s name in Jesus’ genealogy - Matthew 1:1-16.

2. What other names do you recognize in that list? What stories could you tell about them?

3. Look for a picture of Jesus’ family tree on the internet or in books.

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's.