Gospel

While having lunch with a dear friend the other day I was reminded of the story of how I was saved at the age of twelve.  My salvation experience was a process that began with the Holy Spirit gently tapping on the door of my heart.   At about the age of ten I began having feelings of extreme fear during the night.  Almost every night I would call out for my mom to come in my room to comfort me.  My sweet mom began to write down scripture on index cards.  She would tape these scriptures on the walls around my bed and read them to me at bed time.  2 Timothy 1:7 was my favorite verse on fear, it is tabbed in your Child Training Bible.  A while after that I began to call on my mom in the night again, this time with questions about God and Jesus and Heaven and what happens when we die.  My mom then began to tell me that she felt like the Holy Spirit was working in my life and she began to write more scripture on even more index cards.  She wrote verses like Genesis 1:1 and Romans 6:23.  She wrote down John 3:16 and 1 John 1:9.  By now my wall was covered.  She faithfully came to my room every night and read those scriptures to me and explained them to me and answered all of my questions.   Not long after that, while we were at church one Sunday I went to my mom and told her I was ready to ask Jesus into my heart. She walked down the aisle with me and knelt down at the alter with me and prayed with me to receive Jesus.  It's the biggest miracle of all......a heart transformed from death into life.  

 

As parents we can be instrumental in the spiritual life of our child.  Our homes are our first and most important mission field.  Don't be intimidated to share Jesus. My mom was a fairly new Christian when she was teaching me about who Jesus was and why I needed Him.  All of the verses you need to share the good news of the Gospel are tabbed in your Child Training Bible.  Ask the Holy Spirit to help you listen to your child with your spiritual ears.  Be ready when they come to you with spiritual questions.  Don't miss out on the opportunity and the eternal blessings of leading your child to Life in Christ!

Last night of WOFW

Hey parents,

The last night of 

Watts of Fun Wednesday 

will be August 28th! 

7-8pm

Dinner will be provided. 

Don't miss this last night... 

We will light up the city!

Sword of the Spirit

I hope you are really jumping into using your CTB bible.  It has been an amazing tool for my family to see God’s word come to life.   And I know that the more we learn and want to do what is right, the harder it seems to be.  Do you ever feel that way?

Romans 7:21 says “ So, I find this law at work: when

I want to do good, evil is right there with me.”

Paul, the writer of the book of Romans goes on to say that it is like a battle in his body, a war waging against good and evil.  It feels like sometimes we are slaves to sin, all tangled up with no way out. But that’s not where this story ends…. Paul goes on to cry out -  who will rescue me from this mess I’m in???

                         the answer: Thanks to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!

 As you read these devotions and open God’s word , remember that the bible is our weapon of defense, the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). The enemy will come to distract you and try to make you a slave to sin, but it is through Jesus that we are clothed in righteousness…covered by His blood because He was delivered over to death on the cross. AMEN…Thank you God for Your amazing gift of Jesus.  Have you received that gift? 

Making Excuses

When we were tabbing these Bibles during VBS with the kids that were attending, we had the opportunity to ask them about the tabs that they thought they would need the most!  It was quite entertaining to hear which ones they thought and WHY!  One of my favorite conversations I had was with a girl who, when asked which one she struggled with the most was, got humongous eyes and said Making Excuses.  She was very straightforward and said that she makes excuses for everything.  She knew that is something that she struggled with desperately and as soon as she saw those words, she felt that tug of conviction.  I could see that she was truly aware of this area of sin in her life and she was so excited to have verses that taught her why it was a sin and that God offers grace to overcome it.  "He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy."  Proverbs 28:13  God is an understanding Father!  He knows we sin and wants so desperately for us to confess and renounce them so he can pour His mercy all over us.  Try this tonight with your child or just yourself.  Ask them what they have been struggling with.  Read over the verses in that section and you will see them just glow with excitement to know that there is mercy for them if they CONFESS and RENOUNCE them!  What a wonderful feeling to know that you are forgiven when you ask and that there are verses that can remember that will help prevent you from falling into that sin again.  Pick out your child's favorite verse and write it down for them.  Go over it and over it until they remember it and tuck it into their heart.  The more we pour and help them remember God's words, the more they will remember and lean on those words! 

Gospel

Everyone struggles and wants to be accepted.  From the moment we are born we want our mommies to love us as a sign that we are accepted.  As we grow older, we try to be accepted by our loved ones, friends, and socially.  We use hair style, the clothes we wear, the way we talk, the music we listen to, additions, money etc.  The truth is that none of these things can make you happy.  What changed my life was John 3:16 For God so love the world that he give his only son for me.  I went WHAT? God was crazy enough to give his son for me!  He wanted me?  Wow!  So here I am.  Before Christ rejected, after Christ ACCEPTED.!!!!!  Before Christ unloved, after Christ loved to the ends of the earth.  AMAZING!  I live my life full of joy and peace because I don't have to do anything for God to love me.  He loved me before I was born, and all I have to do is love him and others back.... Hug, kiss, and be kind, forgive, and remember nothing can make you more happy than this.
"he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy."  Titus 3:5