Unashamed For Kids & Their Parents Monday- Freedom from Shame Rom 1.16 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. As a parent, I sometimes forget that my children wrestle with right and wrong on a daily basis. Although the struggle to be free from shame may look a little different for our kids, it is a struggle. This verse can be a good reminder to our children of the power that comes from salvation through Jesus Christ if they believe. Be open and transparent about your sins ask your kids to share a sin of theirs that they need to be saved from. Second, remind them that everyone needs salvation and sharing the truth of freedom from their sin with others can help save someone that may not know of it. Finally, emphasize the power that comes from God when they live a life expecting and unashamed. Here are a few memorization tools that you can use to help you and your kids remember this truth in a fun way, check them out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vriy8o6ruf8
Tuesday- Boldly Unashamed Mark 8.38 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father s glory with the holy angels. Now that our kids know the freedom and power that comes from salvation it is important that they understand that rejection will come along with it. Remind your kids that the power of God living in them gives them the ability to expect from God. They can expect their prayers to be heard, their faults to be forgiven, their lives to be blessed, and their lives to grow in the Lord. Yet, they need to know, that they will be rejected from some of the people around them. Growing up I remember that I was ashamed of my relationship with Jesus which lead me to live a double-life. I had my church friends and my non-church friends. I was so afraid of being rejected or laughed at that I hid the truths that had been shared with me and kept them to myself. Please share a real situation in which you have struggled with being ashamed of your relationship with Jesus. Ask your kids to share if they have ever felt rejected. Ask them to share their biggest fear of telling others about Jesus and in what ways they may hide their relationship with Jesus from others. Remind them that the promise that Jesus shared with all of us, if we are unashamed of Him, He would be unashamed of them before His father in heaven. Challenge yourself and your kids to live a life UNASHAMED, willing to be rejected by others with a boldness that comes from our promise of Heaven! Fill in the challenge worksheet to follow Jesus for this week and then check out this praise video by Hillsong Kids Tell the World. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pjwfxawks4
Wednesday- God Never Disappoints (need some building blocks) 1 Pet 2.6 For in Scripture it says: See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame. [ We all have doubt sometimes, including our kids. Even at a young age worry can creep up and cause our kids to shake at the very foundation that could keep them from destruction. 1 Peter 2:6 is an excellent reminder that their trust in God is not misplaced but instead the very building block that they will need. Make a small tower out of building blocks or books. Explain the importance of the foundational cornerstones at the base of your structure. Discuss what might happen if blocks are removed. Ask them what would happen if one of your most important cornerstones were removed. Pull out one of these blocks making the structure fall. Explain how the bible says Jesus is like a cornerstone. Some people felt he was not needed but we know that he is the most important of all. Ask them what they thought of the result and tell them this can relate to their relationship with Jesus. Remind them that total reliance on God as our foundation will bring Him glory and allow us to live unashamed. Finally, tell them that trust, trust, trust in God our precious cornerstone and their faith will grow and as their faith grows their worries go. Sing a song of trust and big faith together in this video by Hillsong United Oceans (where my feet my fail) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy9nwe9_xzw
Thursday- Shameless vs Unashamed 2 Peter 2.1-2 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. Helping our children break the code of what is true and what is false is a very important task of a parent. The world that we live in can be enticing for all of us including our children. Being able to listen to the Holy Spirit and paying attention to the warning signs that point to evil can be a useful tool in helping your children stay the course. Ask your kids to name some people they look up to, this will help you strike up conversation about the character of those that they hold in such high regard. Remind them of the character of God, seen in Jesus, as a tool to use in choosing a role model. Share with your kids the virtues that God has given you as a Christian and how they differ from the world. They will be bombarded with false truths from pop and TV stars, fellow classmates, and professional athletes.and the list goes on and on. Ask your kids what they believe to be true about critical subjects in and around our world, YOU be the one to teach them what is right and true and the God standard. Remind your kids that Jesus is the way the truth and the life and lived a life for us to follow with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us. Thank the Lord for helping us be transformed from a SHAMELESS life without direction to UNASHAMED lives following Christ our Lord with a purpose. Worship together to Chris Tomlin Lord I Need You https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rr_rdb1cte
Friday- No Turning Back 2 Cor 4.2 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone s conscience in the sight of God. I have decided to follow Jesus no turning back, no turning back Our children are looking for the real deal in a life lived sold out for Jesus. You see we as parents cultivate the ground and plant seeds in our children s lives that will provide shade for them when they are seeking shelter. I look at the lives of my parents and become very thankful for seeds sown that became big strong shade trees for me in my life. I also remember a time, in my younger years, in which my father was an alcoholic and the pain that I associated with him and his relationship with my mother. That pain was later transformed into a relationship restored by God s grace, mercy, and love for my family. You see God s love transformed my Dad s heart, refreshed my Mom s pain, and in turn healed childhood wounds that had caused much pain, destruction, and hate. I think back and the restoration power that worked in my family started with forgiveness by my Father in heaven first, then my parents decision to not turn back and follow him, and finally a transparency in our family that brought healing to us all. Take this time to share with your children a renewed dedication to follow Jesus and ask them to join you and follow your lead. Ask them to share some way that you have let them down and ask them to forgive you. Then ask your children to tell you one way they feel like they have let you down, and forgive them and watch God s perfect love strengthen and transform your family through the power of His forgiveness. Begin to plant shade trees that your children will need as they grow into a life lived UNASHAMED. Tell your kids the reasons why you have decided to not turn back including the importance of protecting them from a world that is filled with strife. Sing a song of praise together by Brandon Heath called No Turning Back https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx30_rk1cpw
Saturday- No Fear in Love 1 Jn 2.28 28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. Fear is real and can rock us at our foundation if we allow it too. Remembering that our children s fears can change the direction that God has for them is so important. I think back to when my wife of only 7 months became very ill during the 6 th month of her pregnancy. You see Mary was 27 weeks pregnant with our first kid when an emergency room visit turned into a battle for her life and the life of my unborn son. Immediately fear, doubt, and even some anger crept in. I remember driving behind the ambulance that carried my sick wife and underdeveloped unborn son to a hospital that seemed to take days to finally get there. The fear during that moment was so real I was freaking out and ready to submit to defeat. Yet, during an angry but heartfelt prayer to Father he wrapped His arms not only around me but reminded me that he loved my wife and unborn child even more. Once I accepted that truth in love of my Father I was overwhelmed with joy, peace, and clarity for the future of my family. First, I want you to share a fear that has been overcome by God s love in your life. Ask your children to share any fears that may be affecting them either at school, around their friends, or even at home. Pray together and ask God to surround those fears with a love that will allow your family to have peace and a new ability to reach those who do not know about such love. Let s walk together as a family UNASHAMED accepting the love that God has for us so that others around us will be infected with a peace that can only come from our Heavenly Father! Sing together a song by Chris Tomlin called Whom Shall I Fear