October 5 2014 Today's Kids Need Today's Parents (parts 1 & 2)

Today's Kids Need Today's Parents

Memory Verse: “God is the one who made all things, and all things are for his glory. He wanted to have many children share his glory.” Hebrews. 2:10a (NCV)

Malachi 2:15-16 (NCV)“GOD made husbands and wives—to become one body and one spirit for his purpose—so they would have children who are true to God. So be careful, and do not break your promise to the wife you married when you were young. God says, ‘I hate divorce.’”

I AM RESPONSIBLE TO MY KIDS

BUT I’M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR MY KIDS

Five TRUTHS you must help kids understand & believe

Five QUESTIONS you must help kids ask & answer

1. TRUTH: I was planned for God’s pleasure.

Revelation 4:11b (NLT)“You (God) created everything, and it is for your pleasure that they exist and were created.”

Isaiah 44:2 (CEV)“I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born!”

QUESTION: What will be the center of my life?

Matthew 22:37-38 (NIV)“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.”

Jeremiah 32:39 (TEV) “I will give them a single minded purpose in life: to honor me for all time, for their own good and for the good of their own children.”

2. TRUTH: I was formed for God’s family.

“Ephesians 1:5 (NLT) His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ.”

QUESTION: Who will be my companions in life?

1 Corinthians 15:33 (TEV)“Do not be fooled. Bad companions ruin good character.”

Romans 12:5 (NLT)“Since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.”

3. TRUTH: I was created to become like Christ.

Ephesians 1:11 (MSG)“It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for...part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.”

Romans 8:29 (LB)“For from the very beginning God decided that those who came to him... should become like his Son.”

QUESTION: What will be my character?

Philippians 2:5 (NCV)“In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus.”

4. TRUTH: I was shaped to serve God

Ephesians 2:10 (LB)“It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.”

QUESTION: What will be my contribution?

1 Peter 4:10 (LB)“God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God's many kinds of blessings.”

5. TRUTH:  I was made for a mission.

John 17:18 (MSG) Jesus: “In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world.”

QUESTION: What does God want to say to the world through me?

2 Corinthians 5:18, 20 (NCV)“Through Christ, God has made peace between us and himself, and He gave us the work of telling everyone about the peace we can have with Him.... So we have been sent to speak for Christ!”

April 29 2012 Bringing Out The Best In Your Kids

Bringing Out The Best In Your Kids

Matthew 5:48 - Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.

1. I must understand my children.

Psalm 103:13 - As a Father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. For he knows how we are formed.

Proverbs 24:3 - Homes are built on the foundation of wisdom and understanding.

Proverbs 22:6 - Train a child in the way he should go, and then when he is old he will not turn from it.

Proverbs 14:29 - A patient man has great understanding.

2. I must accept my children.

Psalm 145:8 - The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.

Romans 15:7 - Accept one another.

Psalm 127:3 - Children are a gift from God, they are His reward.

3. I must discipline my children.

Hebrews 12:6 - The Lord disciplines those whom He loves.

Proverbs 13:24 - If you refuse to discipline your son, it proves you don’t love him.

Proverbs 19:18 - Discipline your children while they are young enough to learn. If you don’t you are helping them destroy themselves.


HOW TO DISCIPLINE

Discipline calmly.

Proverbs 29:11 - A fool gives full vent to his anger.

Don’t be a nagger.

Ephesians 6:4 - Don’t keep scolding and nagging your children, making them angry and resentful, use loving discipline.

Discipline quickly.

Discipline sparingly.

Col. 3:2 - Fathers don’t discourage your children so much that they become discouraged and quit trying.

Discipline by age level.

• The Age Of Regulation (Age 1-7)

Must learn to obey.

• The Age Of Imitation (Age 8-12)

Learn by watching you.

• The Age Of Inspiration (Age 13 & Up)

They will be like who they run with.

4. I must express love to my children.

Psalm 145:9 - The Lord is good and has compassion on all He has made.

Psalm 145:14 - The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.

Psalm 145:18 - The Lord is near to all who call on Him.

Psalm 101:2 - I will try to walk a blameless path, but how I need Your help especially in my own home where I long to act as I should.

April 8 2012 Building Hope In The Home

Building Hope In The Home

I Peter 1:3 - In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

THREE STEPS TO HOPE

STEP ONE - Build hope through your commitment.

HOW

1. Focus on Christ.

a) Matthew 28:9 - Suddenly Jesus met them.

Resurrection Principle #1

No home is complete without Christ.

b) Acts 16:34 - The whole family was filled with joy

Because they had come to believe in God.

c) Psalm 127:1 - Unless the Lord builds the house, it’s builders labor in vain.

2. Focus on each other.

a) Philippians 2:4 - Don’t just think about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and in what they are doing.

b) Ecclesiastes 4:12 - One standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back to back and conquer.

STEP TWO - Build hope through communication.

Matthew 28:10 - Jesus said to them, do not be afraid.

HOW TO COMMUNICATE

1. Talk to each other daily.

a) Ephesians 4:26 - Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.

2. Show your appreciation.

a) Example - Mark 14:8 - (Jesus said) she has done a beautiful thing to me.

3. Learn to forgive each other.

a) Ephesians 4:32 - Forgive each other as God forgave you in Christ.

Resurrection Principle #2

Communication builds hope in the home.

STEP THREE - Build hope by being consistent.

a) Psalm 145:17 - The Lord is righteousness in all His ways.

b) Psalm 145:13 - The Lord is faithful to all His promises.

c) Malachi 4:6 - He will turn the hearts of the Father’s to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers.

Resurrection Principle # 3

Honesty promotes consistency.

STEP FOUR - Build hope through confidence in God.

Verse 6 - (The Angel said) He is not here, He is risen.

HOW TO BUILD

1. Remember Jesus is available.

Matthew 11:28 - Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.

2. He is adequate.

Jeremiah 32:17 - Nothing is too hard for God.

Resurrection Principle #4

He is always available and adequate.

YOU CAN BUILD HOPE IN YOUR HOME