They are two words I've used far too often. I was reminded of this Tuesday when in a meeting reviewing our communications process I realized I didn't turn in an important announcement. I had feelings of guilt and failure. I know, it's just an announcement. But it was my job to make sure this was communicated. After the meeting I realized that I need to start a different routine. We've recently changed our communications process but I haven't changed my routine.
Parenting can be very similar. The needs of our children change over time. They are able to absorb more and more. They can be stretched and challenged in different ways. Maybe it's time to change your routine!
A resource is available to you right here every week. Homefront can be a good tool to help you begin a new routine. Take one night a week and read the Bible story from Homefront weekly with your child. Review the "remember verse" with her. Open up Homefront monthly and make the family recipe for dinner. Play the games out of Homefront monthly with him.
It's about routines. Take a look at yours. Do you need a fresh start?
Here's Homefront Weekly for the week leading up to April 3:
Kids Safari (Preschool-Kindergarten) Homefront Weekly
Kids Summit (Elementary) Homefront Weekly
Here's the most recent edition of Homefront Monthly:
Homefront Monthly (through April 10)
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Genuine
This fall we implemented several new things in Kids Adventure. We want to see the LSCC children have room to respond to God's work in their lives. After all, He DOES work in them too! In an effort to make this happen we constructed prayer walls for preschool and grade school children. Most Sundays, as we finish our large group time children are encouraged to post their requests on the wall. Their prayers range from "my cat hurt her leg" to "my grandma is very sick".
A couple of weeks ago we had a preschool boy request prayer for "the salami in Japan"! I know, I laughed too. The greatest thing about the prayer wall is the genuine attitude that the children have when posting their requests.
I'm challenged by this! I am forced to ask myself, "Is my prayer life genuine?" "Do I really talk with God or just at Him?" "Are my requests just suggestions for God to ponder or do I really believe He will answer?"
Mark 11:24 says, "Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Andrew Murray writes, "What a promise! Faith is very far from being a mere conviction of the truth of God's word or a conclusion drawn from certain premises. It is the ear which has heard God say what He will do and the eye which has seen Him doing it." (from the book, With Christ in the School of Prayer) Listen to God speak. Trust Him at His word and watch Him do great things. Genuine prayer begins with a genuine relationship with God and an unhindered trust in His word.
Now, believe that you have received it!
Here's this week's Homefront Weekly:
Kids Safari (Preschool/Kindergarten) Homefront Weekly
Kids Summit (Elementary) Homefront Weekly
A couple of weeks ago we had a preschool boy request prayer for "the salami in Japan"! I know, I laughed too. The greatest thing about the prayer wall is the genuine attitude that the children have when posting their requests.
I'm challenged by this! I am forced to ask myself, "Is my prayer life genuine?" "Do I really talk with God or just at Him?" "Are my requests just suggestions for God to ponder or do I really believe He will answer?"
Mark 11:24 says, "Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Andrew Murray writes, "What a promise! Faith is very far from being a mere conviction of the truth of God's word or a conclusion drawn from certain premises. It is the ear which has heard God say what He will do and the eye which has seen Him doing it." (from the book, With Christ in the School of Prayer) Listen to God speak. Trust Him at His word and watch Him do great things. Genuine prayer begins with a genuine relationship with God and an unhindered trust in His word.
Now, believe that you have received it!
Here's this week's Homefront Weekly:
Kids Safari (Preschool/Kindergarten) Homefront Weekly
Kids Summit (Elementary) Homefront Weekly
Monday, March 14, 2011
What's Ailing You?
A few years ago I had a friend tell me about a big struggle he had against a sinful habit in his life. He said it had been going on for years but his shame about this problem caused him to keep it hidden. He tried to hide his pain by being actively involved in church but he couldn't shake the feeling of being far away from God. He needed forgiveness. He needed a friend to help him be accountable to overcome his sin.
A man was brought to Jesus in Matthew 9. He was paralyzed. This man and his friends fully expected Jesus to heal him that day. Interestingly, Jesus didn't heal this man's physical problems first. Rather, He began by healing the man's spiritual problems. Jesus forgave his sins! Just like my friend, the paralytic needed spiritual healing.
We so often want to give God certain portions of our lives—the issues that might not hurt as much. We only want Him to heal the easy stuff. But when it gets down to the real struggles plaguing our hearts, it can be so easy to shy away from God, try to hide our sins, and try to atone for our sins with good works and deeds. Yet, no matter how much we try, we cannot hide our sins or conjure up forgiveness on our own. Only God has the authority to forgive sin.
We belong to a loving God who wants to be in every part of our lives. Though He detests sin, He hates the separation that sin causes between Himself and His people even more. He is willing to forgive, if we are faithful to ask. We were created to live in community. Though it might be out of our comfort zone, accountability is one great way to facilitate asking God for forgiveness.
Partner with one of the brothers or sisters in your faith community this week, and be vulnerable. Share and confess with one another where you are struggling, and intercede for one another in prayer. Make it a habit to pray for that person throughout the week. As the days pass, don’t forget to also share with your accountability/prayer partner where you are experiencing freedom and God’s victory in the struggles you discussed. Be sure to give God thanks for His forgiveness and grace.
Check out this week's Homefront Weekly:
ALSO!!!! Here's the NEW edition of Homefront Monthly:
Monday, March 7, 2011
Test Time!
Soccer registration fees, dentist bills, sonogram for the baby on the way, rising gas prices, tires for the car - the list goes on. It seems like life has a way of knowing when we commit to give generously! Recently, our lead pastor, Doug Brown offered the LSCC congregation a 90 day guarantee. If the people of LSCC will give generously, God will bless us....GUARANTEED! I should have known this test of my commitment would soon follow.
You're probably experiencing some of the same things I am. Generosity isn't easy. Generosity requires a re-prioritizing. Giving is a discipline that God wants me to participate in. It is my responsibility to give and live generously.
This week, read through the following Scripture: Luke 21:1–4, Matthew 6:19–21, and 2 Corinthians 9:7. Read each portion of Scripture the first time through with no agenda—just take it in. Then read through each a second time. As you do, what words are standing out to you? What phrases? Jot these words or phrases down on a piece of paper or in your journal. Ask God what He would like you to hear from Him. Read the verses a third time. When you finish, sit for a few moments with your eyes closed in the quiet and receive from the Lord. Finally, under the words and phrases you have written, conclude your time by writing anything that
you have taken away from your time with God in His Word.
As you move through your week, revisit the things you have written in your journal. Is there anything new God is speaking to you? Are there any barriers in your life that aren’t allowing you to give generously? Since reading through these verses, did you have any experiences related to what God spoke to you in your time of quiet? If so, take a few minutes to document the encounters and celebrate with Him! May God bless you as He uses His provision to you and your family to bless others.
This responsibility of giving will be highlighted in our preschool and kindergarten time this weekend. You can read more about it in this weeks edition of Homefront Weekly for pre-k and kindergarten.
The elementary's focus is on the power of the Holy Spirit in us. Check it out in Homefront Weekly for elementary.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Turn Away
“I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people … they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. ‘For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more’ (Jeremiah 31:33–34).
Did you catch the end of that passage? God himself says that he "will remember their sins no more." I never cease to be amazed at God's grace. While I am thankful for it I have to constantly be on guard that I don't take advantage of it. It would be easy for me to use His grace to "get out of jail free". Paul warns against that in Romans 6. He sums it up with this phrase: "how shall we who are dead to sin keep on sinning?" My translation: "If you've truly given God your heart there's no way you can continue doing what is wrong."
It's true. If God has control of my heart I will not entertain sinful habits. They will become detestable to me. I must repent (turn away) from sin and fully pursue God's righteousness.
This week, spend some time declaring openness to God. Ask God if there are any thoughts, desires, or behaviors that are keeping you from the full life that God has for you. Then, ask Him to send His Holy Spirit to come and fill those places. Consider how you can model repentance with your family. Afterward, pray God would draw your family to a life of repentance—and an openness to Him—and give them a heart transformed by His Spirit.
Here's this week's edition of Homefront Weekly:
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