Scripture Memory Song – Romans 12:14-17a Bless & Do Not Curse

Scripture Memory Song – Romans 12:9-13 Love Must Be Sincere

Hymn of the Month – The Wonderful Cross

What We’re Reading:

We have been going through a Proverbs a day and I like that a lot.  I feel like it grounds our kids in the wisdom of the Lord.   So I’ve been reading through the daily Proverb then reinforcing it with other Scriptures to keep us reading from other parts of the Bible.  I’m wondering though if we shouldn’t be going through a systematic reading plan so we cover all the Bible.

Here’s what Proverbs 1 tells us it’s all about:

Proverbs 1

1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

2
To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight,3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth–5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,6 to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.

7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

It just seems like a good place to keep coming back to.  As I mentioned in my earlier post “Suffering From Family Worship Envy” Family Worship can’t be the end all of all family discipleship, it’s a process.  I still want my family to “go through” the Bible so I go back and forth on this issue.  I guess for now, I’ll stick with the Proverbs plan and maybe encourage our family to be reading through the Bible in our personal devotional times.  We could maybe discuss what we’re reading throughout the day as … we sit in our house, and when we walk by the way, and when we lie down, and when we rise. Deut 6:7

So…..What we’re reading:

Proverbs 7

Of course today’s reading is all about the seductress and adulterer so just a fair warning, you may want to adjust your reading.  We go ahead and read this to our whole family.  We focus on the adulteress as someone who is immodest and kisses others who aren’t her family (which we point out is not OK)  we talk about how great it is that mom and dad love each other and what would it be like if mom or dad decided to hug and kiss another person.  We talk about how moms and dads are only to share a bed with each other and of course our kids can cuddle up with us, but that kind of intimacy is reserved for family.  We focus more on the things the kids already see and know about.  We don’t have to get into any “discussions” (although we are OK if they do ask questions especially in that atmosphere as we are in God’s Word.)  We do point out that That would be awful and very sinful!  We don’t have to get into details etc.

It gives us a great framework to point out when we see kissing and boyfriend girlfriend issues happening in media or around us.  We now have a place for them to weigh what the world presents as OK against what the Word of God teaches.

What We’re Discussing:

21 With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him.22 All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast23 till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life.

What is it compared to when someone follows someone who wants them to sin?

What is the result of our sinful actions?  -

Romans 6:23 ESV

Why do we want to sin sometimes?

Have you ever been tempted by someone to follow them into sin?

Does God think its OK to kiss and hug people if you aren’t married to them?

- yes within reason?

- Is there a different kiss a dad gives to a mom that is only for mom?

- What does TV and movies and the world around us tell us about kissing and hugging other people?

What does this verse say will happen if we choose to act like this?

What We’re Memorizing:

We go through a children’s catechism found HERE. Sometimes we hit it sometimes we don’t.  We do like to review it as often as possible though

What We’re Praying:

I’ve been going through the hand prayer.  I think I’m going to try a different approach and just post a general prayer about what we were reading.  We can still go through different prayer devices, but maybe we can just post a Theme to pray based on the Scripture:  This can be a guide or prayed out loud as is.

- Lord help us to be aware of temptation all around us.  It might come from the devil, or from others or from our own wicked desires. Help us to avoid places that will lead us into temptation.  We pray like you taught us to, “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil”  We ask for forgiveness for the times we chased after sin like a dumb animal.  Thank you for rescuing us from the power of sin through the work of Jesus on the cross.  We choose today to follow after You with our whole hearts.  Thank you Lord for all you do in and through us.  Amen!

This very simple and straightforward list from James Grant is very helpful and encouraging to me, because sometimes family worship can seen very daunting and involved.

Plan to have family worship after an evening meal

Read through a good book (like the Jesus Storybook Bible)

Say the Lord’s prayer after reading the book

I’m planning to start doing family worship after Malachi’s 2nd birthday, which is next week. Can’t wait!

It’s good to remember as I begin to make the practice of family worship a regular part of our lives I can tend to overkill.  I want to catch up on lost time (especially since my older kids never experienced family worship before).  I want to bust out theology books, read through a whole hymnal and recite every form of prayer I learned or heard about.  Then I remember I’m “supposed” to be teaching the catechisms.

I see these super star spiritual families and mighty fathers who lead their families so well and then I see me.  Goofy, immature, way behind the ball and I get discouraged.  I grew up in a church culture that had reacted to the “dead” traditions of hyper religious institutions.  It seemed like there was a redefining of church life that was happening as I was a kid to the point where Hymns actually became a despised thing.  We traded in these old ways for the “new fresh move of the spirit”.  Now as a kid I didn’t know we were trading something old for something new.  I just accepted whatever was before me as the way it must have always been.

Now I years later I realize (mainly because I married a good baptist girl) that I don’t know very much church history.  So in another reactionary move, I’m feeling overwhelmed and desperate to shove everything I missed out on into a few minutes of family worship.  Once again, ol’ Matthew misses the point.

The key scriptures we are trying to walk out in our family are from Deuteronomy 6 & 11

⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.  Deut 6:6-9

¹⁸ Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ¹⁹ Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ²⁰ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, ²¹ so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.  Deut 11:18-21

The picture there is one of daily walking it out over a lifetime.  I so want a quick remedy to everything.  I’m looking for a scripture that will set my house back in order. Here’s the scripture, but it takes so much more from me than reciting something or casting a demon out or getting the latest Hillsong worship CD. This is a lifestyle change, a change of pace, a whole new approach.  This is daily walking.

That’s good though. It means I don’t need to live in fear that I’m missing the right curriculum or catechism (those are great tools for helping me) but the key issue is to talk and walk with my kids and show them the faithfulness of God all around us.  We pick up the word everyday and hear the stories of faith and talk about them.  If I get through a whole “plan” for family worship, great.  If not, great we spent time worshiping and sharing in the Fellowship of God as a family.  It’s like we invite the Lord of all to settle back over our house.

So, I need to chill.  I need to simplify and enjoy the process.  Take it one day at a time.  If we don’t fit everything in, that’s OK.  It means we either need to cut some other things out (we know Satan does not want our families to worship) or that we enjoy what we did do.

When I think in terms of years instead of days, a little every day is so much more effective than huge chunks of BIBLE LESSONS and HYMNAL MEMORIZATION then long periods of nothing.  This is daily bread I am feeding my family.  I’m supposed to wash my wife in the Word.  We don’t go months without bathing then take a really long bath to make up for lost cleansing, we wash everyday and that keeps us clean.

So, what’s the point?  I need to enjoy the process.  I don’t need to squeeze all Biblical training into family worship.  Family worship has a specific purpose: To worship together as a family- I know, deep. So let that happen as a daily habit then God will begin to show me other ways to supplement Biblical training in other ways as well.

1 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

3
For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah

5
I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

6
Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.7 You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah

8
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.

10
Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

What we’re reading:
- Children’s catechism
- Proverbs 19

What we’re discussing:
vs 11 “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.”
- Why do we get quickly offended at one another?
- How would God like us to treat each other when we are offended?
- What kind of person is it that overlooks an offense?
- What kind of offenses happen to us throughout the week?  (don’t be offensive while you share.)
- Read these scriptures:
Colossians 3:13
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Mark 11:25
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Luke 17:4
If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

Read the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant:  Matthew 18:21-35
What were praying:
Thumb (family, those closest to us): Lord, we pray that we would be quick to forgive and show grace to one another, we choose to overlook offenses in one another, because You have overlooked so many of our offenses.

Pointer Finger (those who point us to God): Thank You for patient and wise pastors who show much grace to the people they serve.  Remind them why they are to overlook people who offend them.  Give them peace in their hearts to not take offenses personally and to find times where they can be encouraged.  Help us to encourage a pastor this week with a thank you note or some way to bring encouragement knowing it’s hard to pastor at times.

Middle (govt leaders): Give our leaders patience and wisdom.  Help those in office to not get caught in personal battles to defend themselves or to try to get even with others. We continue to pray for godly leaders to be appointed to great positions.  Our nation can change if our leaders can change.

Ring (weak, hurting, persecuted church): Thank you for showing your love to us, help us to extend that love the hurting around us even if we won’t get anything in return. We pray for the church all over the world, give them strength and courage today.

Pinky (me): God thank you for forgiving me when I didn’t deserve it.  I choose to show those around me who offend me the same love You showed me.  I won’t wait until I “feel” forgiving, but I will show forgiveness in obedience to Your Word.

2 Do not be quick with your mouth,
do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
and you are on earth,
so let your words be few.

3 As a dream comes when there are many cares,
so the speech of a fool when there are many words.
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.5 It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?

7 Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God.

Observation:
There is a right way to approach the Lord and a foolish way.  I know I have been encouraged by the author of Hebrews to enter the Most Holy Place with confidence,

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

This “confidence” is a trust in the work Christ did on my behalf.  I don’t have to question it or doubt His redeeming work.  But this confidence doesn’t permit me the right to do whatever I want in my worship.  God is still God He is still to be honored and feared.  See Paul’s instructions to the Corinthian church about the way they should approach communion and the warnings he gives, 1 Corinthians 11:27-31

27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.31 But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.

Application:
God is still God and I am still not.  My worship, while it should be a place of freedom and joy, it is still a place where I need to glorify God above all emotions, experiences, preferences, opinions.  I need to reflect on my attitudes in worship and prayer and communion.  Do I just run my mouth over and over, never stopping in awe and reverence for God Almighty?  My freedom and confidence in Christ is not license do act and behave in whatever manner I choose.  Worship is not defined by my deep feelings or preferences propriety in worship always needs to be determined by the Word and the Spirit.
Does that mean stoicism is what’s right in worship? Sometimes, but biblically it is clear rejoicing, clapping, singing, dancing, shouting, making a loud noise with the instruments are all in order and commanded of God’s people.

I guess I’m thinking also about my personal times of prayer and reflection.  What does my prayer life look like?  Do I ever have a sense of awe and honor and fear?  Do I listen, can I remain quiet and still?  I have to be careful with my mouth and what I hastily vow before the Lord.

Proverbs 17:28 “Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.”

Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for the times I have spoken without first listening.  How many rash vows have I made before You only to break them and so dishonor Your name?  Teach me the joy of listening more in my worship, prayer and relationships with others. Help me to live out James 1:19
“My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,”
I do thank You for the confidence I have in You and that I may approach the Most Holy Place anytime and find covering and forgiveness for my sins, but help me not to grow flippant about it and defame Your great sacrifice on my behalf.  I choose to open my ears and my heart to You today.  As I lead worship this next weekend, help me to really think through how I am bringing people into the “throne”.  I love You Lord.  Amen.

Observation:
God is faithful, he gives strength to stand against the evil one.  Paul had confidence these believers would “make it”  Part of the success of these believers was to have their hearts directed into 1. God’s love and 2. Christ’s perseverance

Application:
2 important parts of the Christian life are 1.God’s love and 2. Christ’s perseverance.   God’s love is the only way we can find and receive an atonement for our sins.  God’s love initiated a relationship and salvation for me.  I didn’t do it I couldn’t do it.  I can rest assured in His faithfulness and goodness.  The other part is reminding myself o Christ’s perseverance. It further demonstrates how God’s love wasn’t a passive pronouncement of love, but a hard action which had to be taken on my behalf.  God couldn’t just say, “OK, I love you all, here’s forgiveness.  His justice (which is good and right and holy) demanded His response in wrath.  This wrath never, ever deserved to be poured out on Christ, but it was. Christ persevered through his entire life knowing where he was headed, never sinning, never turning his back on men who all rejected him and deserved punishment. At anytime Jesus would have been justified in simply returning to heaven and rejoining the Father but he persevered for me.
That perseverance reminds me to persevere in obedience. God’s love atones for my sin, gives me hope.  Perseverance, as demonstrated by Christ, gives me peace and happiness and confidence and makes me useful to the Father and to my family and to my church family and to the community around me where I can in turn share the good news of the gospel.

Prayer:
Lord, direct my heart into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.  Let me be filled with confidence that I am doing and will continue to do what God through His Word commands. Amen.

Observation:
“First of all” seems like it would saying, “First things first” or “here’s the place to start” or “here’s the foundation to build on” or “to understand the rest of what I’m saying, let’s get this taken care of”
“That we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”  Here is a good pursuit: peacefulness, quietness, godliness and dignity and a prayer filled life, lifting others up.

Application:
I am to lead this life.  It is up to me to prioritize these spiritual habits and characters in me and my home.  I have to lead this, no one else is going to for me.  There are a lot of good things to do, but so many “good” things can keep me from a healthy quietness and peaceful and prayer filled life.  It might be awkward or hard to say “no” to so much busyness in life, but there are times when we need to keep from being so busy to be able to have the right kind of priorities.  Do I take prayer and peace and thanksgiving quietness seriously?

Prayer:
Lord, help me to re prioritize my life in a way that honors You, not pleases others or is simply about filling my life with more activity.  Help me to begin to drop things out of my life that are keeping me from being godly, or from truly leading my family as I should.  Help me to learn to retreat back to a place where worship & thanksgiving, prayer & praise, peace & quietness, are present in our home.  Let my home be a retreat where I, my family and those we demonstrate Christian hospitality to will experience the peace of God.  Teach me to say “no” more often.  Help me to lead my family in a “new” way.  Help me to learn ways how I can set my family on a different path that flies in the face of following the cultural norms.

What We Are Reading:
Proverbs 16

What We Are Discussing:
“Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.” vs 6
- How was our sin atoned for?
- Who’s love and faithfulness is shown to us when we sin?
- Does God stop loving us when we sin?
- Does God want us to keep sining?
- Why does God not want us to keep sinning?

John 5:14
Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”

1 Corinthians 15:34
Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.

- According to this passage what keeps us from sinning?
- There are two parts to Christian living:  God’s atonement for sin, and our obedience to stop sinning to avoid further evil?  The first makes us holy (something we can’t do on our own), the second makes us happy and useful to God (something God wants to see in our lives).

2 Timothy 2:21
If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

Ephesians 4:28
He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

Philemon 1:11
Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

What we’re praying for:
Thumb (those closest to us/family):Lord thank you that you have given us your righteousness when we didn’t deserve it.  Please help our family to avoid evil by a righteous fear of You.  We choose to hide your word in our hearts that we might not sin against You.  Help us to build one another up and to be useful in your hands because of the choices we make to obey you and to walk away from sin.  Help us to understand what it means to live in obedience to You.  Give us grace and patience with one another that we can learn to live in peace with one another so we don’t dishonor your name with the unbelievers.  Bring more joy in our home today as we draw closer to you.

Pointer Finger (those who point us to God): Lord thank you for our pastors and leaders and Bible teachers all over the world. You say those who teach the word and devote themselves to prayer are worthy of double honor, help us to give honor to our pastors.  Thank you for raising up godly men and women who can lead others towards a closer walk with you.  Help our pastors to stay strong in their walk with you and to avoid sin.  Grant forgiveness to those pastors who haven’t done so well, help them have the wisdom to do what they need to do so they can make things right with men and help them to receive your redemption which makes them right with you.

Middle Finger (govt. officials..I know, I know it’s just the way the fingers worked out): We pray that our leaders would come to a knowledge of You. We pray you would stop the working of evil behind the scenes to bring destruction and godlessness to our nation.  We pray you would begin to raise up godly leaders who would stand for righteousness. We pray for leaders who may not believe in Christ, but who are willing to honor godliness and goodness within our nation.  Stop the foolishness and godlessness all around us.

Ring Finger (the weak, hurting, persecuted church):Lord, help us to show your goodness to those in our own neighborhood who need You.  Show us how we can be good neighbors and serve those who are hurting right next door to us.  There might be lots of evil all around us, we pray for protection but we also pray for courage to share Your love and light with those around us.

Pinky (the smallest-self):