Category Archives: As For Me and My House Moments
As For Me and My House Moments – Session 11
God Sends Ten Plagues
God Shows His Power through Miracles
Exodus 5 – 11
Week 11
This Week’s Focus:
- To make sure that his people knew these leaders had his own authority behind them, God made them able to work miracles, wonderful deed s that don’t usually happen.
- Look at Exodus 7:19. Discuss the supernatural act of the water being turned into blood. List out all the places that it happened. Why did it happen this way?
- Read Exodus 9. What happened to God’s people during the plagues?
- Read Exodus 10: 1- 2. What was God thinking about when he was saving Israel from the land of Egypt?
- Have confidence in the scriptures. Don’t leave out chapter eleven in the book of Exodus.
- What correlation can you make between the Passover story and the purpose of Jesus’ time on earth?
Verse of the Week:
- Psalm 86:10 – For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.
Suggested Activities:
- Make a list of miracle workers in the Bible; you may find it surprisingly short! Discuss why those particular individuals were enables to perform miracles.
- Discuss why far more miracles by Jesus are recorded than miracles by anyone else. As a result, what should we think of him? What should be our attitude toward him?
- Discuss how many people came into the land of Egypt. Then examine how many people left with Moses.
- Read 1 Corinthians 5: 7 – 8. Talk about what the apostle Paul says about the Passover lamb?
PDF Document:
Joshua 24:15
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Material Based Upon
the
Mighty acts of God: a family Bible storybook, Starr Meade – Tim O’Connor – Crossway Books – 2010; Pg. 48 – 50
As For Me and My House – Session 10
God Speaks to Moses
God Tells His People Who He Is
Exodus 3:1 – 15; 33:18 – 34:8
Week 10
Weekly Focus:
- Take an opportunity to read through the passages above. Also read about how Moses came to be in the situation in which He found himself. Explain to your children the steps that God took to make sure that Moses was exactly who He wanted him to be.
o Moses was born in a time when the Israelites were multiplying beyond the control of the Pharaoh. Because of this, Pharaoh decided to kill any babies that the Hebrews had that were boys. Moses was spared because of a great act of faith. Share with your children how God used horrible circumstances to bring about protection for his people.
- Discuss Moses and the burning bush
o God was calling Moses by name from the bush and told him that he wanted him to go to Pharaoh and deliver a message from Him. Moses was nervous about the prospect of going before Pharaoh because he had ran away many years ago because he had killed an Egyptian trying to help the Hebrews, and they had only mocked him. God gave Moses encouragement and told Him that this time it would be His power that would do the work and Moses wouldn’t have to rely upon his own abilities.
- Strong Theology – Doctrine of God
o This is a wonderful opportunity to look and define something about God’s essence or substance. God is made of substance, it is a spiritual (what we can’t touch) rather than material (what we can touch) substance. In this particular passage of scripture you are clearly given one of these attributes of God’s essence. We see that God is self-existent. We see His proclamation that He is the First Cause, he is uncaused by anything or anyone. Also we see that God is not dependent, as we are, on anyone or anything outside of Himself to exist. We require an outside force to continue to exist, such as food and water, while God does not. When we see God tell Moses that His name is “I Am Who I Am,” He is sharing with him that He is completely self-existent.
- God is also Compassionate
o He cares about people’s sorrow
- God is Gracious
o He treats people better than they deserve
This Weeks Verse:
- Psalm 9:10 – And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
Suggested Activities for the Week:
- Show your children the word “Lord” in Exodus 4:10, and the word “LORD” in small capital in the same verse. Our English Bibles translate God’s covenant name as Lord. “Lord” without capitals means lord or master. Look through the Old Testament for examples of both.
- God’s name stands for who he is. “Bad words” are rude or not nice to say, but the misuse of any form of God’s name is a sin. It dishonors God, and God forbids it in the third commandment.
- Search the Psalms for references to praising or trusting in God’s name. Here, too, God’s name stands for all he is and does.
Joshua 24:15
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Material Based Upon
the
Mighty acts of God: a family Bible storybook, Starr Meade – Tim O’Connor – Crossway Books – 2010; Pg. 41 – 43
God Speaks to Moses
God Tells His People Who He Is
Exodus 3:1 – 15; 33:18 – 34:8
Week 10
Weekly Focus:
· Take an opportunity to read through the passages above. Also read about how Moses came to be in the situation in which He found himself. Explain to your children the steps that God took to make sure that Moses was exactly who He wanted him to be.
o Moses was born in a time when the Israelites were multiplying beyond the control of the Pharaoh. Because of this, Pharaoh decided to kill any babies that the Hebrews had that were boys. Moses was spared because of a great act of faith. Share with your children how God used horrible circumstances to bring about protection for his people.
· Discuss Moses and the burning bush
o God was calling Moses by name from the bush and told him that he wanted him to go to Pharaoh and deliver a message from Him. Moses was nervous about the prospect of going before Pharaoh because he had ran away many years ago because he had killed an Egyptian trying to help the Hebrews, and they had only mocked him. God gave Moses encouragement and told Him that this time it would be His power that would do the work and Moses wouldn’t have to rely upon his own abilities.
· Strong Theology – Doctrine of God
o This is a wonderful opportunity to look and define something about God’s essence or substance. God is made of substance, it is a spiritual (what we can’t touch) rather than material (what we can touch) substance. In this particular passage of scripture you are clearly given one of these attributes of God’s essence. We see that God is self-existent. We see His proclamation that He is the First Cause, he is uncaused by anything or anyone. Also we see that God is not dependent, as we are, on anyone or anything outside of Himself to exist. We require an outside force to continue to exist, such as food and water, while God does not. When we see God tell Moses that His name is “I Am Who I Am,” He is sharing with him that He is completely self-existent.
· God is also Compassionate
o He cares about people’s sorrow
· God is Gracious
o He treats people better than they deserve
This Weeks Verse:
· Psalm 9:10 – And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
Suggested Activities for the Week:
· Show your children the word “Lord” in Exodus 4:10, and the word “LORD” in small capital in the same verse. Our English Bibles translate God’s covenant name as Lord. “Lord” without capitals means lord or master. Look through the Old Testament for examples of both.
· God’s name stands for who he is. “Bad words” are rude or not nice to say, but the misuse of any form of God’s name is a sin. It dishonors God, and God forbids it in the third commandment.
God Speaks to Moses
God Tells His People Who He Is
Exodus 3:1 – 15; 33:18 – 34:8
Week 10
Weekly Focus:
- Take an opportunity to read through the passages above. Also read about how Moses came to be in the situation in which He found himself. Explain to your children the steps that God took to make sure that Moses was exactly who He wanted him to be.
o Moses was born in a time when the Israelites were multiplying beyond the control of the Pharaoh. Because of this, Pharaoh decided to kill any babies that the Hebrews had that were boys. Moses was spared because of a great act of faith. Share with your children how God used horrible circumstances to bring about protection for his people.
- Discuss Moses and the burning bush
o God was calling Moses by name from the bush and told him that he wanted him to go to Pharaoh and deliver a message from Him. Moses was nervous about the prospect of going before Pharaoh because he had ran away many years ago because he had killed an Egyptian trying to help the Hebrews, and they had only mocked him. God gave Moses encouragement and told Him that this time it would be His power that would do the work and Moses wouldn’t have to rely upon his own abilities.
- Strong Theology – Doctrine of God
o This is a wonderful opportunity to look and define something about God’s essence or substance. God is made of substance, it is a spiritual (what we can’t touch) rather than material (what we can touch) substance. In this particular passage of scripture you are clearly given one of these attributes of God’s essence. We see that God is self-existent. We see His proclamation that He is the First Cause, he is uncaused by anything or anyone. Also we see that God is not dependent, as we are, on anyone or anything outside of Himself to exist. We require an outside force to continue to exist, such as food and water, while God does not. When we see God tell Moses that His name is “I Am Who I Am,” He is sharing with him that He is completely self-existent.
- God is also Compassionate
o He cares about people’s sorrow
- God is Gracious
o He treats people better than they deserve
This Weeks Verse:
- Psalm 9:10 – And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
Suggested Activities for the Week:
- Show your children the word “Lord” in Exodus 4:10, and the word “LORD” in small capital in the same verse. Our English Bibles translate God’s covenant name as Lord. “Lord” without capitals means lord or master. Look through the Old Testament for examples of both.
- God’s name stands for who he is. “Bad words” are rude or not nice to say, but the misuse of any form of God’s name is a sin. It dishonors God, and God forbids it in the third commandment.
- Search the Psalms for references to praising or trusting in God’s name. Here, too, God’s name stands for all he is and does.
· Search the Psalms for references to praising or trusting in God’s name. Here, too, God’s name stands for all he is and does.
As For Me and My House – Session 9
From Slave to Ruler in Egypt
God Works Even through Evil
Genesis 37; 39:1 – 42:2; 45; 50
Week 9
Weekly Focus:
- God has a purpose is greater than man’s strength.
o God had a purpose for the life of Joseph. Although, his brothers were strong in number they were not able to destroy the purpose that God had set for Joseph.
- Our Sin Can Grow
o Joseph was favored greatly by his dad, Jacob. Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other brothers. He showed his love to Joseph by giving him a beautiful coat and putting him in the position of managing or looking after what his brothers were doing in the fields. This made the brothers angry. They grew tired of him constantly checking on them and they didn’t like the fact that their father’s love for him was greater than his love for them. So they planned to kill Joseph
o First they only envied Joseph then they desired to kill him. Their sin moved from envy to murderous hatred.
o Use this illustration to share with your children the importance of turning away from our sins before they grow into something greater. (Sometimes we move from just being angry at someone to hitting them.)
o Help your children identify with the brothers and how their sin grew because they did not turn away from it. If ever your children hit one another, you can be almost certain that it started with smaller sins.
- Even though Joseph was in a difficult circumstance he continued to obey God.
o After he was sold to a master he rose in stature in his master’s house. But one day the master’s wife made up a lie about Joseph that he tried to hurt her and he was thrown into prison. But he continued to be obedient to God.
- Obedience Rewarded
o God gives the Pharaoh a dream that only Joseph can interpret. Joseph interprets the dream and the Pharaoh puts him in charge of the entire kingdom. As a result, God saves Israel from the famine; and by saving Israel, Jesus is born so we can be saved.
- The Bible makes it clear that when people intend evil, as Joseph’s brothers did, it is wrong and God will hold them accountable for it. At the same time, though, the Bible tells us that God is always at work in everything that happens to accomplish his purposes.
This Weeks Verse:
- Genesis 50:20 – As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
Suggested Activities for the Week:
- Help your children to think through the consequences for the world if Jacob’s family—Israel—had perished in the famine. How would God’s promises to Abraham, that all the families of the earth would be blessed through him, have been fulfilled? Who would have received and kept the Scriptures? How would Jesus have been born?
- Discuss with your children hard things they or others have endured or are enduring right now. Where possible, discus the good God has brought through these things. Where God’s plan is not obvious, pray for God’s grace to enable those who suffer to trust God.
Joshua 24:15
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Material Based Upon
the
Mighty acts of God: a family Bible storybook, Starr Meade – Tim O’Connor – Crossway Books – 2010; Pg. 41- 44
As For Me and My House – Session 8
God Chooses Jacob For Blessing
God Chooses to Bless Because of His Grace Alone
Genesis 25:21 – 26; 28:10 – 22
Week 8
Weekly Focus:
- Last week we learned that God gave Abraham and Sarah a son. God kept his promise to Abraham that he would be a father. In spite of Abraham’s sin in having a child with a woman that wasn’t his wife; God blessed Abraham by giving him Isaac.
o This week we will take a quick look at the offspring of Isaac, Jacob and Esau.
- God gives Grace to sinners
o When we catch up with Jacob he is already running from his sin. He had tricked his father and taken advantage of his brother. God gave grace to Jacob just like he had given grace to Jacob’s grandfather, Abraham.
- God keeps his promises in spite of man’s sin.
o A lot of people have problems with the reconciling the fact that it would seem that he used sin to accomplish His will. God made a promise to Isaac and told him that the older son would serve the younger son before the boys were even born. When we look at the text it seems as if Jacob’s tricks against Isaac and Esau were ordained by God. This is not the case. While Jacob may be criticized for exploiting his brother in a moment of weakness, Esau is indifferent toward his firstborn status. He does not grasp the significance of all that God has promised to fulfill through the unique line descended from Abraham, of which he is the natural heir. Esau was contemptuous of his special firstborn status. On the basis of this, Heb. 12:16 describes Esau as “unholy.” Esau did not appreciate that his birthright was linked to God’s plan of redemption for the whole world.
- God chooses which people will receive his blessings and, when he does so, he always chooses because of his grace alone, and for no other reason.
o God in his sovereignty uses all kinds of actions (good, bad, and mixed) to bring his people to the place in which they find themselves.
This Weeks Verse:
- Romans 9:16 – So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
Suggested Activities for the Week:
- Explain any words in the key verse that your children may not understand.
- Think of other biblical characters whom God chose in spite of their sin.
- Ask whom God would choose if he chose people who deserved his blessings because they had never sinned. Help them see that no one would receive God’s blessings, since all sin.
- Ask if God’s people have any reason to be proud of themselves for being God’s people. (The answer, of course, is no, since God’s choice and God’s blessing have nothing to do with anything about the people he chooses.)
Joshua 24:15
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Material Based Upon
the
Mighty acts of God: a family Bible storybook, Starr Meade – Tim O’Connor – Crossway Books – 2010; Pg. 38 – 40
As For Me and My House Moments – Session 7
As For Me and My House Moments
Joshua 24:15
God Give Abraham a Son
God Keeps His Promises
Genesis 18:1 – 15; 21: 1 – 7
Week 7
Weekly Focus:
- Last week we learned that God made a covenant with Abraham. God promised Abraham that his descendants were going to be like the number of stars in the sky. At this time Abraham had no son and was an old man and his wife was well passed the time that women gave birth. In order for him to have a child God would have to be the one to do it. There would need to be a miracle that took place for Abraham and his wife to conceive. And that’s exactly what happened.
- This week we will be looking at God keeping his promise to Abraham.
- God is Faithful
- God keeping His promises is an important part of being faithful. There are times that we face individuals who may not always keep their promises. Maybe that person never intended to keep his promise or maybe that person was lying all along. Whatever the case maybe, there are always going to be people that break their word.
- Sarah Laughed at God’s Promise
- Sarah was ninety years old when she heard that she was going to have a baby. When she heard the news she began laughing. But God promised that it was going to happen and a year later it did. Isaac, which means laughter, was born just a little while later.
- Nothing unexpected can ever come up that would make it impossible for God to keep his promises.
- Sometimes we are not able to keep our promises to our children because there are circumstances that arise that make it impossible to do so. The wonderful thing we all can find comfort in, is that God is perfect and there is nothing that can stand in the way of him keeping his promises to his children.
- We can always trust God to keep his promises, because he is absolutely faithful
This Weeks Verse:
- Hebrews 10:23b – He who promised is faithful.
Suggested Activities for the Week:
- God’s promises are not for every person in the world, but for those who are in a covenant with him (see the last two lessons).
- Discuss God’s unhappy promises, called “threats,” for those who are not in a covenant with him through faith in Christ. They will be judged and kept apart from God forever.
- With your children who are capable readers, go on a “promise hunt.” Skim through some sections of the New Testament, seeing who can find one of God’s promises. Read each promise found and discuss what it means and for whom it is intended.
Parental Encouragement:
Parents,
Welcome to week seven. We are almost at the two month mark of having a family devotion time. How’s it been? Have you seen a change in your family dynamic? Are your children more interested in learning about the scriptures? What changes are taking place between you and your children? As you work through this lesson evaluate the promises that you make to your own children. Do you keep them? Or are promises for things in the future a means to appease your child in the present? Are you hoping that they will forget some of the promises that you have made to them?
It is incredibly important for parents to be the model that you want your children to be. If you want your children to be more like Christ and have a relationship with Christ then they need to see that in you. They need to see you being obedient to the Savior and they need to see you modeling Him. Are you memorizing the same scriptures that you are encouraging them to memorize? The only way we can lead is by example. To lead any other way is hypocrisy. Are you teaching your children how to honor God’s faithfulness by praising him?
Even though it is not something that we have done in previous weeks I would encourage you to begin worshipping God during your family devotion times. Here are a couple of things to get you started:
- Practice – Turn on worship CDs and sing or listen with one another during cleaning, breakfast, or after dinner.
- Sing with your children at church. Show them you are not afraid to praise God publicly.
- Start singing during your family devotion time.
- Have a Internet connection? Find a free online streaming radio station (Pandora) where you can choose the style of music and it randomly selects based on your criteria.
Ultimately, it is just about getting out there and doing it.
Joshua 24:15
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Material Based Upon
the
Mighty acts of God: a family Bible storybook, Starr Meade – Tim O’Connor – Crossway Books – 2010; Pg. 35 – 37
As For Me and My House Moments – Session 6
As For Me and My House Moments
Joshua 24:15
God Makes A Covenant With Abraham
God Binds Himself to People in a Covenant
Genesis 15
Week 6
Weekly Focus:
- This past week we are introduced to Abraham and we learned that God called him out of his comfortable home in Ur to go to a land that God promised would belong to him. We are going to be looking at the covenant that God made with Abraham.
- A covenant is an agreement that binds two persons or two groups of people together in a special relationship that they don’t have with others.
- The most common example of a covenant is the covenant of marriage. You can use the covenant of marriage to explain the idea of God making a covenant with a specific group of people. When a man and a woman marry, they make promises to each other. They promise that they will love each other and stay married always, no matter what. They promise to have a love for each other that they will not have with anyone else. Their marriage covenant gives them a special relationship to each other that no one else has with them.
- The Bible is the story of God making and keeping that covenant with his people.
- The Bible follows the relationship with God and his chosen people. We see very early on in the stories of Abraham the promises that God makes concerning the Promised Land, children, and blessings. God promised Abraham that he would be the only God of the nation that would come from Abraham.
- So God determined that he would do everything needed to be sure the covenant would be kept on both sides.
- God wanted to have a chosen covenant people before the foundation of the world. But like Adam and Eve, he knew that people would sin and that they would never be able to perfectly keep the promises of a covenant on their own. God would keep the promises for his own side of the covenant, and he would provide the way for his people’s side of the covenant to be kept as well.
This Weeks Verse:
- Jeremiah 32:40a – I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them.
Suggested Activities for the Week:
- Be sure your children realize that God is the one speaking in the key verse. Ask your children, what does he promise to do, and what does he promise not to do? How long will this covenant last? You may want to look up the verse and read its context as well.
- Explain to your children that now that Jesus has come, God’s covenant is not just with Israelites—physical descendants of Abraham—but with all who trust in Christ to keep the requirements of the covenant for them.
Parental Encouragement:
Parents,
I am so excited that we have made it to week six and that we are steadily walking our way through the scriptures. This week is an incredible opportunity for you to share with your child the love of God by the way that He chooses us.
Remember to take these lessons and these stories and adapt them to your child’s particular age range and learning style. Some children learn better with the help of visual aids such as books with pictures and illustrations. These children have a tendency to daydream during lessons or conversation and they can be easily distracted by movement or clutter.
If your child learns more effectively using visual aids then you should take advantage of that. When your child is trying to memorize a scripture or new concept have them draw a picture and that will assist them in memorization process. Sometimes you can use flash cards to spark their minds into memorizing a verse or spiritual concept.
Some children are auditory learners. They enjoy listening but they like to talk as well. They do not have a problem remembering names but have a tendency to forget faces. Auditory learners are usually very interested in music and rhythm. Creatively turning a memory verse into a song will help most auditory learners memorize things more effectively. Talk to your child about what they are learning. Let them explain the concepts to you, once they have fully understood them. Most auditory learners talk to themselves and they read out loud while they are studying. This helps them embed the concepts they are learning.
There are also the children that are more kinesthetic in their learning style. They have extreme difficulty sitting for long periods of time and are usually more interested in anything with a lot of excitement. They are usually willing to try anything at least once.
When it comes to this type of learner let them move around. It may be hard for us to understand but a kinesthetic learner is actually listening while restlessly moving and looking around. Help your child learn by combining a physical activity with their studies. Incorporate skits, body movements, and hand signals in order for your child to act out what they are learning.
Most importantly, all children learn differently. Find the right combination for your particular child and help them learn. Don’t try to fit them into a specific mold. This can be frustrating to you and ineffective for them.
Joshua 24:15
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Material Based Upon
the
Mighty acts of God: a family Bible storybook, Starr Meade – Tim O’Connor – Crossway Books – 2010; Pg. 32 – 34
As For Me and My House Moments – Session 5
As For Me and My House Moments
Joshua 24:15
God Calls Abraham
God Chooses People to Belong to Him
Genesis 12: 1 – 8
Week 5
Weekly Focus:
- Last week we talked about the promises that God made to Noah and how he kept the promises to protect Noah and his family during the flood. God also promised to never flood the earth again. We learned that God always keeps His promises. This week we learn that God can choose people for a special purpose. God chose Abraham and promised him that all people would be blessed through his descendants. Abraham just needed to obey God and he and his descendants would be blessed forever. Abraham would never know to the full extent what those blessings were but that didn’t stop him from following God and being obedient to Him.
- When we are cultivating a relationship with God within our children we need to help them understand that the blessings that we receive from God do not always come quickly. In the story of Abraham the full blessing didn’t come till thousands of years later though Jesus Christ.
- God always keeps His promises
- Just like God kept his promises in the story of Noah he also kept his promises in the story of Abraham. Many people would be blessed because of Abraham’s obedience to God and they were. Explain to them that we are receiving blessing from the obedience of Abraham all those many years ago.
- Jesus would be a Savior for the whole world, and the people of God would include men, women, and children from every nation on earth.
This Weeks Verse:
- Deuteronomy 7:6b – The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
Suggested Activities for the Week:
- Discuss the blessings God’s people have that people who do not know God do not have. Give thanks together for God’s generous blessings
- Discuss God’s great goodness in having a people for himself. What does he get out of it that he needs? (Nothing, of course!) Give thanks together for God’s great grace.
- Take some time to pray for God’s people, both those you know here and those who live in other countries.
Joshua 24:15
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Mighty acts of God: a family Bible storybook, Starr Meade – Tim O’Connor – Crossway Books – 2010; Pg. 29 – 31.
