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THIS WEEK:
From the Sermon: Daniel 7
Preacher: Pastor Rusten Harris
Scripture: Daniel 7
MAIN POINTS: 1) The Importance of Hard Work, 2) The Witness of Defiance, 3)The Fruit of Discipline, and 4) The Pattern of Death and Resurrection
We’ve reached the halfway mark in Daniel and find him at another crossroads. Does he obey the king or obey God? Daniel stands firm in his convictions and unashamedly obeys God. We learn from Daniel that obedience and discipline in the small things give us the courage and strength to stand firm in the harder things.
Family Discussion Questions:
1. What’s something that surprised or confused you about this Bible passage?
2. What are some specific qualities of hard work?
3. What are some instances when defiance can be a powerful witness to the Gospel?
4. What spiritual discipline has the Lord grown you in recently? What do you need to do in order to grow in others?
5. In what ways do you need to die to self in order to grow in sanctification?
Parent Tip:
· Read the sermon summary together as a family. Build this into your regular routine, perhaps reading together around the table during a meal.
· There are five questions, each with a different theme. You can choose one night a week to go over all five, do a couple of questions a few times a week, or discuss one question per day.
· Each question is meant to be a conversation starter—model for your children how to answer these questions by sharing your own personal insights.
· Even if your conversations don’t go as planned, don’t be discouraged. ALL time spent talking about and reading God’s word is valuable!
· The more consistent you are in having these discussions, the more fruitful they will be. As this becomes part of your weekly rhythm, your kids will anticipate the questions and listen more attentively at church.
Other Scriptures:
- 1 Corinthians 10:31
Parent Tip:
Use these additional scriptures as daily reading. These are also a great way to help your children learn to locate passages in the Bible.
Attribute of God:
FAITHFUL: God always does what he says he will do. We can trust God in all that he is because he is good and trustworthy.
Parent Tip:
We focus on a new attribute of God each week to discuss as a family. Use this time to discuss who God is, answer questions the kids
might have, and talk about what that week’s attribute means to each person in your family.
Prayer Focus:
COMMUNITY: Spend some time this week praying for the homeless in our community.
Parent Tip:
Each week of the month has its own prayer theme: Church, Family, Community, and Repentance. Use these themes to show your children how to pray. It can be helpful to add this to an already existing routine, like at bedtime or when you’re in the car together.
**For further study on the book of Daniel, you can purchase a helpful book in the foyer by Jon Nielson, Daniel: Faith Enduring through Adversity.
THIS MONTH:
Psalm 47
Clap your hands, all peoples!
Shout to God with songs of joy!
For the LORD Most High is to be feared,
A great king o’er the earth
God reigns over the nations;
He sits on His holy throne
He chose our heritage for us,
The pride of Jacob whom He loves
God has gone with a shout
The LORD with the sound of a trumpet
Sing praises to God, sing praises
God has gone with a shout
The LORD with the sound of a trumpet
For God is the King of all the earth
Sing praises with a song!
Hallelujah! Our God reigns!
Hallelujah! The LORD be praised!
Parent Tip:
Each month we highlight a different song for you to sing together. Singing is an integral part of worship! Singing as a family helps teach the kids how to worship at church, and as they learn more songs, they will be able to participate more on Sunday mornings. You can practice your songs in the car, at the dinner table, when you wake up, or at bedtime! You can also check out our playlist on Spotify and sing along with your favorite worship songs.
Memory Verse:
Galatians 2:20
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Parent Tip:
This is the same memory verse that the whole church is learning and it rotates monthly. Practice reciting it as a family each day at least once. Dinner time is a great opportunity to practice together.
New City Catechism:
Questions 23: Why must the Redeemer be truly God?
Answer: That because of his divine nature his obedience and suffering would be perfect and effective.
