Copyright ©2010 The Church at Brook Hills www.brookhills.org 1

FamilyWorshipGuide–Week12 READ

o FortyyearshadpassedsincetheIsraeliteswerefirstdeliveredoutofEgyptandthedaywasapproachingforIsraeltofinallyenterGod’spromisedland,thelandofCanaan.Asthestoryunfolds,GodisfaithfultokeepHisword.GodleadIsraelacrosstheJordan,holdingbacktheriverforalltheIsraelitestopassoverondryground.

o Joshua3:7‐17o Godwasever‐presentastheymarchedaroundthecityofJericho,andthewallsfelldown,justastheLordhad

promised.o Joshua6:1‐20o GodwasfaithfultotheIsraeliteswhenHegavethemthelandHepromisedtoAbrahamandhisdescendants.God

broughtIsraeloutofthelandofEgypt,outofslavery,anddidmanygreatsigns,preservingIsraelalongthewayanddrivingouttheirenemies.AttheendofJoshua’slife,thelandofCanaanhadbeendividedamongtheIsraelites.ThenJoshuagatheredtogetherallthepeopleofIsrael.HeremindedthemofthemanypromisesGodhadmadeandfulfilled,thentoldthemtochoosewhomtheywouldserve.Wouldtheyservethegodsoftheirfathers,thegodsoftheAmorites,orthetrueGodofIsrael?ThechildrenofIsraelreplied,“...wealsowillservetheLord,forHeisourGod.”(Joshua24:18)

o Joshua24:1‐24TheBottomLine:GodisfaithfultokeepHisword.

Questions:Chapter24ofJoshuadetailsnumeroustimeswhenGodhadprovenHimselffaithful,sowhydoyouthinkJoshuaaskedthepeoplewhomtheyweregoingtoserve?HadtheyevermadethechoicetoturnawayfromGod?WhatdoesthatshowyouaboutGod’smercytowardsHischildren?Howcanwe,asparents,leadourfamiliesinawaythatservestheLordwhole‐heartedly?Howcanwe,aschildren,beapartofourfamiliesinawaythatservestheLordwhole‐heartedly?

PRAYo ReadWindowOnTheWorld,pg.34‐35Chado UsePrayerCard

SINGo Uselyricsheetandmp3downloadof“Today(AsForMeandMyHouse)”o Thisweek,wearesingingthesong“Today.”UsethissongasadeclarationofyourintentionstoGod.ServingGodis

achoice–wechoosehowwewillact,speak,useourtimeandresources,andhowwewillraiseourfamily.ServingGodinandthroughthesethingsdoesnothappenonaccident.Considerthewords,determinethattheywillbewhatyouarestrivingforasafamily,anddeclarethemjoyfullytoGod!

MEMORIZEo Joshua24:15AndifitisevilinyoureyestoservetheLord,choosethisdaywhomyouwillserve,whetherthegods

yourfathersservedintheregionbeyondtheRiver,orthegodsoftheAmoritesinwhoselandyoudwell.Butasformeandmyhouse,wewillservetheLord.

Copyright ©2010 The Church at Brook Hills www.brookhills.org 2

SUGGESTIONSThesesuggestionswerecreatedtohelpparentsbettercommunicatetheBiblicaltruthsdiscussedintheFamilyWorshipGuide.Theseactivitiesandquestionscanreplaceorserveasasupplementtothequestionsunderthe‘Read’sectiononPage 1. Remember, these suggestions are intended to help parents facilitate God‐centered discussions with theirchildren. Parents should prayerfully use these suggestions, and any other means necessary, to help their childrendiscoverthetruthsofGod’sWordandworshipHimtogether.

Preschool(Birth‐Kindergarten)o Beforeyoubegin:Gathersomeitemsyouwillusetorewardyourpreschoolerforfollowingdirectionsinthisgame.

(Example:smallpiecesofcandy,Cheerios,orstickers)o Game:“SimonSays”or“MommyorDaddySays”

Tellyourpreschooleryouaregoingtoplayagamethatwillrequirethemtofollowdirections.Iftheyfollowtherulescorrectly,thenyoupromisetogivethemareward.Begintoplaythegamebygivingdirectionsliketheonesbelow:Mommy/Daddysays,“Touchyourtoes.”Whentheyrespondcorrectlytoyourdirections,thengivethemthereward.Makesureyoupraisethemforfollowingyourdirectionscorrectlyandusethephrase,“Youdidagreatjob,followingmydirectionssoIwillkeepmypromiseandgiveyouthisreward.”Repeatthiswithafewmorecommands,like;wiggleyourears,jumpupanddown,scratchyourelbow,patyourknees,standononefoot,etc…

o Tellyourpreschoolerthatyouwereproudofthemforthewaythattheyfollowedyourdirectionsandthatiswhyyoukeptyourpromiseandgavethemtherewards.TellthemjustlikeMommy/Daddykepttheirpromise,thereisOnewhoalwayskeepsHispromisesandthatisGod!GodisfaithfultokeepHispromiseswhenHispeopleobeyHisdirections.HewantsustoalwaysobeyandfollowHimwithallofourhearts.Sometimes,wemessupanddothingsthatarenotwhatHewantsustodo,andeventhen,GodlovesussomuchHestillwantstokeepHispromisestous.

Children(Grades1‐5)

o Joshua24:1‐24Gathertogethermaterialstomakeasignthatyouwillhanginyourhouse.Thesignwillsay,“Butasformeandmyhouse,wewillservetheLord.(Joshua24:15)”Beforeyoucreatethesign,parentsshouldsharehowGodhasbeengraciousandfaithfultoyourfamilyandchurchoverthelastfewyears.MakeitcleartoyourchildthatyourfamilywillservetheLordandworshiponlyHim(thiswouldbeagoodtimetoremindthemofJesus’workontheirbehalf).Thencreatethesignandhangitupforalltosee.YoucanusethatmomentasatimetosharewhyyouwanttoworshipandserveonlyHim(yourpersonaltestimonyofGod’ssavinggrace).Oncethesigniscompletedprayaboutyourfamily’scommitmenttotheLord,praisingandthankingHimforHisgraceandfaithfulness.

Students(Grades6‐12)o Studentsareconstantlybombardedwiththingsthatpromisetheycanprovidestudentswithultimatesatisfaction.

(i.e.:ifyoubuyacertainmakeupyouwillbebeautiful,ownthisvideogameyouwillbecool,ortakethatpillandyouwillbeskinny.)RereadJoshua24andmakealistofallthetimestheLordreferstoapromisemadeorapromisekept.KnowingthatChrist,theonetrueSavior,alwaysfollowsthroughonHispromisesisanincrediblycomfortingthought.HeistheonlyonewhohasandalwayswillbefaithfultokeepHispromises.

o WayneGrudemsaidinhisbook,ChristianBeliefs,“TheessenceoftruefaithistakingGodatHiswordandrelyingonHimtodoasHepromised.”BelievingGodisGodisonething,butwhydoyouthinkitissohardtorelyonHim?HowdoesknowingGodhasalwayskeptHispromiseshelpustorelyonHim?HowcanwepracticerelyingonGodinsmallthingsaswegraduallyincreaseourtrustinHimforthelargerthings?

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