MEET WITH GOD STUDIES FOR GROUPS, FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS. The Hopeful. Home WOODROW KROLL

Transcription

1 B A C K T O T H E B I B L E MEET WITH GOD STUDIES FOR GROUPS, FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS The Hopeful Home WOODROW KROLL

2 Check out this resource to learn more about this issue s topic! Building a Godly Home Now men can discover how to be a true encourager, provider and leader for their family, along with other characteristics God looks for in a real man. With society s gender blending, blurred responsibilities and conflicting definitions of family, trying to figure out what it means to be a man can be perplexing. But this book gives the answers you re looking for. Based on Woodrow Kroll s popular series of radio messages, this book helps you identify and live up to the responsibilities God has given you as the man of your home. You ll learn what it means to be the head of your household, a counselor for your children and a complete lover to your wife. And you ll discover how to be a better encourager, provider and leader for your family by following biblical principles. # Softcover, 193 pages *Suggested donation $12.00 Canadian price $16.20 To order, call or visit In Canada: Call or visit *Suggested donation: The Internal Revenue Code permits you to deduct the amount you give to Back to the Bible that goes beyond the fair market value of materials we send you. To help determine the tax-deductible portion of your gift, we ll show on your receipt the fair market value of materials and the tax-deductible portion, along with the total gift amount. Meet With God an official publication of Back to the Bible 2005 The Good News Broadcasting Association, Inc. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Staff: Editorial Assistance: Allen Bean, Marlene Lehl and Mindy Kroesche Design: KMA Direct Communications Layout: Laura Poe Produced with the assistance of The Livingstone Corporation ( Project staff: Neil Wilson Cover Photo: PhotoSpin.com Meet With God is produced 12 times per year and sent with no obligation. BACK TO THE BIBLE P.O. Box Lincoln, NE 68501

3 From the Author You didn t get here without family. Heartwarming or heartbreaking, family life shapes and molds us. That s how God planned it. As a purposeful God, He has a purpose for the family. There are no substitutes for the family as God designed it. Throughout this study, we want to review God s design and purposes when it comes to the family. We want to identify and celebrate what s right with the family. We trust the following Bible readings and devotional thoughts will stir a deep appreciation for your family. No, the family isn t perfect. But God uses it anyway. He shapes and forms people in this crucible called family. Take time to consider how God influenced and affected you through your childhood family as well as how He is using your present family to make you like Jesus. Take time to appreciate God s work in your life. Express your thanks. Let others know (particularly your fellow family members) how much you thank God that they are part of your life. Experience first hand this month what s right with the family. Remember these wise words of the apostle Paul: For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named (Eph. 3:14 15). He knew family is at the center of God s plan. 3

4 WEEK WEEK 1 The Hopeful Home THIS WEEK, MAKE IT A POINT TO OBSERVE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FAMILY IN YOUR DAILY LIFE. The Cornerstone of Society Key Passage: Read Genesis 1:1 31 Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth (Gen. 1:28). God s finishing touch on His masterpiece of creation was the formation and blessing of the first family. He saved the best for last. He created an amazing environment and then fashioned a special kind of relationship to dwell in it the family. Perhaps because it was the culmination of God s creation, nothing suffered more from the Fall (when Adam and Eve first sinned) than the family. As we think about what s right with the family, we need to focus on God s plan. He had an important purpose for the family to anchor society. The building blocks of society aren t individuals but healthy families. History is littered with dead societies that allowed the family to disintegrate only to realize too late or not at all 4 4

5 that they were promoting their own destruction. If the family falls, society falls. God designed marriages to build minisocieties. He instructed the first husband and wife to be fruitful and multiply. Families are human training centers. Almost all our basic traits flow out of God s unique mixing of our mother and father s DNA and the earliest experiences in our homes. We might be surprised that as damaged and crippled as the family has become because of human sinfulness, it still manages to preserve some of the essential functions God entrusted to it. Humans are practically the only form of life that isn t born capable of surviving on its own. We arrive naked and need to be held, wrapped and sheltered from the start. Babies are living announcements that we ve been designed for relationship. Many are saying today that the family system can be adjusted at will. God s design is one option of many. What these alternative promoters refuse to realize is that some of their suggestions are sinful, and all of them depend on a significant part of society remaining in God s design. If any of these alternatives became the norm, society would quickly fall apart. Why look for alternatives when our Creator gave us the best? REFLECTION REFLECTION As you read Genesis 1, reflect on the following questions: 1. What are the basics of family design included in these verses? 2. Based on your own experiences, what is right with the family? 3. Could a society made up of mostly single-parent families or same-sex families survive? 4. Why do people insist on pursuing alternatives to God s instructions and design? 5

6 APPLY IT Besides sin, other factors sometimes alter God s basic family design. The death of a parent results in a single-parent family, at least temporarily. This creates special challenges in fulfilling basic family functions. It s at this time that other families and church fellowship can step in and provide some of the missing input. But occasional adjustments due to unusual circumstances don t make the original plan void. They often highlight the value of the original design. If you know someone struggling to carry out their responsibilities as a single parent, look for opportunities to help and encourage them. Think of them as part of your extended family! 6

7 EXPRESS IT Take some time to describe to God why you are thankful for your family. Be honest about the disappointments and be willing to admit your own failures. But think about the good that God has accomplished in your life through your family despite any shortcomings. Ask for His help in making your family the best it can be. REMEMBER IT 1. God created the man and woman after He created the animals. True/False 2. God created man on the fifth day. True/False 3. The first man and woman were created in the image of. 4. God commanded the man and woman to be and multiply. 5. God created man to rule over a. the fish b. the birds c. the skies d. both a and b Answers: 1. True (Gen. 1:20 27); 2. False (Gen. 1:26 31); 3. God (Gen. 1:27); 4. fruitful (Gen. 1:28); 5. d (Gen. 1:28) 7

8 WEEK 2 The Hopeful Home THIS WEEK, IDENTIFY SOME OF THE WAYS CHILDREN ARE LEARNING ABOUT GOD IN YOUR HOME. The Real Board of Education Key Passage: Read Deuteronomy 6:1 25 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up (Deut. 6:7). Public school is a very recent idea. Throughout history, education has been seen as the responsibility of the home. Even the rise of public schools was originally intended to express the values of the homes in a community. The original board of education was Mom and Dad. Local residents, of course, still serve on school boards, but the emphasis on reflecting home values has been seriously neglected and eroded. God s system, however, hasn t changed. Those attentive to His Word know that the primary source of education still rests in the home. The them in today s verse refers to God s instructions. We don t have to invent something to teach our children; God has provided the curriculum for us to pass on to them in creative 8

9 and persistent ways. God even provides a summary of everything we need to teach our children in verse 5: You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. The classroom mentioned in today s verses takes many forms, and the times for instruction vary widely. The point is not so much to tell our kids something, as if teaching is mostly lecturing, but to talk with them. The rest of this passage assumes that our children will ask questions (v. 20). We need to be prayerfully prepared with answers. If our lives differ from what they see in the rest of the world, we can be sure they ll ask. The locations for instruction (sitting at home, traveling, lying down, rising) indicate that we should be aware of teachable moments throughout the day when events, comments or opportunities arise where we can have conversations with our kids about God s character and purposes. For most of us, the challenge comes as we begin to include God in the general conversation in our homes. The trend in our society is to put God in the Sunday/church box and visit Him there. Kids will notice if God comes home with us. And when God s instruction becomes one of the topics of conversation morning, noon and night, the results will be memorable. REFLECTION As you read Deuteronomy 6, reflect on the following questions: 1. Under what circumstances have you learned the most effective lessons about God? 2. What character traits does this passage tell you about God? 3. When was the last time you talked about God with your kids? How did it go? 4. What s the most important lesson you can teach your children about God? 9

10 APPLY IT The underlying principle in God s method of teaching as spelled out in Deuteronomy 6 is that every aspect of family life from a husband and wife s love for each other to the handling of each child and the details of household decisions offers kids lessons about God s principles and character. Take some time for a family discussion about how God fits into your home. Identify some ways in which you believe you can make God even more at home where you live. 10

11 EXPRESS IT Family living is something that drives us to prayer and then leaves us wondering how to pray. Our kids (or our parents) can make us feel helpless, confused and ineffective. But God knows all about parenting. He designed family life. Talk to Him about specific problems, but spend time thanking Him for His presence. REMEMBER IT 1. Love God with all your, soul and strength. 2. Parents are to talk to their children about God s commands a. only on Sundays b. only when children ask c. when you sit, walk, lie down and get up d. none of the above 3. God commanded the people of Israel to write His commands on their foreheads. True/False 4. God told the Israelites to write His commands on the of their houses. 5. God warned the Israelites not to forget Him. True/False Answers: 1. heart (Deut. 6:5); 2. c (Deut. 6:7); 3. False (Deut. 6:8 9); 4. doorframes/doorposts (Deut. 6:9); 5. True (Deut. 6:12) 11

12 WEEK 3 The Hopeful Home THIS WEEK, REFLECT ON JESUS AS A YOUNG BOY AND THE LESSONS HE LEARNED FROM JOSEPH AND MARY. Family Is a Disciplined Environment Key Passage: Read Luke 2:1 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men (Luke 2:52). 12 When God came to earth, He entered through a family Mary and Joseph. Jesus was raised as a typical Jewish boy of His time. His character may have been unusual, but His training wasn t. He was expected to honor His parents, obey God s laws and treat others with respect. Joseph s family undoubtedly kept the Sabbath. They traveled to Jerusalem every year for the Passover. Jesus grew up in a simple, disciplined family environment. People often complain over the lack of information about Jesus childhood. They want details. At least part of the reason for God s silence can be understood by the way people think. If we knew the details of Jesus growing years, we would be tempted to compare our childhood with His. We would tend to say, Jesus didn t have as hard a life as I m having!

13 We need to remember that God provided just the information we need. What matters isn t so much what Jesus went through as He was growing up, but how He turned out. Today s verse gives us a powerful review. In fact, any parent who could summarize a child s arrival at adulthood with the same terms Luke used for Jesus would have every right to be satisfied. Luke 2:52 tells us that Jesus grew up mentally (wisdom), physically (stature), socially (favor with men) and spiritually (favor with God). Now that s a wellrounded person! The key to understanding Jesus upbringing is in Luke 2:51. The little phrase and was subject to them tells us that Jesus cooperated fully with His family. He was a willing participant. He benefited from the discipline in His home because He submitted to it. There are many family characteristics taught in the Bible, but we need to remember there s always a balance between various priorities. Discipline requires cooperation, rules function in an atmosphere of grace, and humor balances serious moments. The disciplined environment that allowed Jesus to grow up so well was a balanced family structure that kept important priorities in proper perspective. Children who increase in wisdom and stature, and favor with God and man are young people well on their way to godly adulthood. What parent wouldn t want to raise a child to be like Jesus? REFLECTION As you read Luke 2:1 52, reflect on the following questions: 1. What does this chapter tell you about Mary and Joseph s family life? 2. How does Jesus humanity as well as His divinity come through in this chapter? 3. How does today s verse describe your later childhood years? In what areas are you having to catch up? 4. What areas do you need to address more directly in your children s lives? 13

14 APPLY IT Make a chart of the four general areas of personal growth mentioned in today s verse. Under each category, list those activities and experiences you re exposing your children to in hopes of fostering growth in those areas. Think of other activities, or perhaps if there is a neglected category, begin to plan how you can offer your children opportunities to experience the full and balanced process that Jesus knew. 14

15 EXPRESS IT Use those four areas (wisdom, stature, favor with man, favor with God) as an outline for praying for your kids or grandchildren. (If you don t have children, pray for nieces and nephews, friends children or even children at your church.) Ask God for wisdom in providing them with the necessary and right experiences to foster growth in each of those areas. REMEMBER IT 1. Joseph and Mary went to the temple for the Feast of the Passover every year. True/False 2. Jesus was years old when He went to the Feast with His parents. 3. Jesus told His parents He was going to the temple courts. True/False 4. Joseph and Mary looked for Jesus a. in the temple courts b. among their relatives and friends c. in Jerusalem d. all of the above 5. After days of searching, Jesus parents found Him in the temple courts. True/False Answers: 1. True (Luke 2:41); (Luke 2:42); 3. False (Luke 2:43); 4. d (Luke 2:44 46); 5. three (Luke 2:46) 15

16 WEEK 4 The Hopeful Home THIS WEEK, CONSIDER ALL THE LESSONS YOU CAUGHT FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD FAMILY LIFE. More is Caught than Taught Key Passage: Read Luke 15:11 32 Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants (Luke 15:18 19). Adversity is a tough but effective teacher. Hard times often help us remember lessons we ve ignored. Growing up in any family fosters a large collection of lessons, both positive and negative, that we take with us the rest of our lives. Sometimes it takes special effort to counterbalance the negative lessons. And often we can t see the good lessons until later on in life. The younger son in Jesus parable had a great childhood. Things came easy. He expected the good life. In fact, as soon as he was old enough to declare his independence, he did. But he didn t stop to think about how much of his independence depended on his father s generosity. He took his inheritance, but he didn t appreciate it. He used it the same way he had used things at home. Now, however, someone wasn t 16

17 replacing what he used, and soon his treasure was used up. Adversity brought several assistants to help the young man learn: poverty, menial work, loneliness, hunger and others. Many of the lessons were humiliating. The boy began to pay attention. As he reflected on his childhood and home, he now saw things he had ignored before. He might have had difficulty remembering much of what his father had told him, but he couldn t forget the lessons of home life. His days had been filled with lessons about love, integrity, respect, generosity and endurance. He began to realize that even his basic survival to this point was a tribute to traits that had been built into him at home. That s when it occurred to him that starting over as a servant in his father s house would be better than continuing his present course. He decided to apply for a job as a hired hand with his dad since he assumed he had ruined his privileges as a son. What a surprise awaited him at home! He had sinned and was now changed, but his father hadn t changed. He returned to a place that was still filled with love and more lessons for him. God has designed the family to provide us with more lessons than we can hold. The more we pay attention, the more we learn. REFLECTION As you read Luke 15:11 32, reflect on the following questions: 1. In what ways do you identify with the people in this parable? Son, older brother, father, friends, etc. 2. What family was Jesus using this parable to teach about? 3. What are some of your most precious lessons caught at home? 4. How would you describe your present home as a learning environment? 17

18 APPLY IT Hopefully during this month you have considered a number of valuable traits that are right with your family. There are always improvements to be made, but encouragement often flows when we pause to appreciate the positive. What s right with your family right now? How can you express gratitude where it s due? In what ways are you moving in the right direction, and what will you do to promote that progress? 18

19 EXPRESS IT Ask God for help in recognizing good lessons from your past that you may have been ignoring. If something comes to mind as you are praying, take it seriously. As you pray, name each of the members in your family and ask God to teach them His lessons through you. REMEMBER IT 1. The prodigal son ate the pods that were given to feed pigs. True/False 2. The prodigal son asked his father to make him like a servant. 3. The father told his servants to bring the best and put it on his son. 4. To celebrate his son s homecoming, the father a. killed the fatted calf b. had a quiet family dinner c. both a and b d. none of the above 5. The older brother was happy to see the younger son. True/False Answers: 1. False (Luke 15:16); 2. hired (Luke 15:19); 3. robe (Luke 15:22); 4. a (Luke 15:22 24); 5. False (Luke 15:28) 19

20 Family we didn t get here without one. Whether our time with family has been heartwarming or heartbreaking, it has helped to shape and mold us into the person we are today. Through this study in the Books of Genesis, Deuteronomy and Luke, we ll look at God s design and purposes for the family. And we ll see that although no family is perfect, it is still a tool God uses to make us like Jesus. Back to the Bible is a worldwide ministry dedicated to leading people into a dynamic relationship with God. Using radio, the Internet and other media, we share the Gospel message and help Christians grow to spiritual maturity. With broadcasts in 25 languages and an Internet reach to millions, Back to the Bible teaches the Word and touches the world. Contact us for more information about Back to the Bible: P.O. Box 82808, Lincoln, NE In Canada: P.O. Box 10, Winnipeg MB R3C 2G

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