Adam and Eve Reflection to do as a family (may have to be slightly edited for younger children)

Read Genesis Chapter 3: 1-24

Talking it Out – Maybe in a journal page instead of out loud

1. In your opinion, what does it mean to be selfish?
2. Are you a selfish person? Why or Why not? Explain your answers with examples
3. In what aspects of your life – in what situations or with which people – do you most often see yourself most selfish?
4. Why is pride, choosing self, so destructive to God’s plan?

Thinking it Through:

1. What has God told you to do that is most difficult for you not to do?
2. What is the one sin that just seems “too tempting” or “too difficult” or that overpowers you?
3. Reflect on this tempt Ask yourself why God would not want it for you if it brings you “so much joy”?

Closing Prayer:

Lord, help me to make good choices in my life. Give me the strength to follow your will. Lord, give me the knowledge and wisdom to know what Your will is. Amen.

Lord, I want to pray for the following people… (say your intercessions to God, in other words pray for a friend, family member, etc. and be specific about what you are praying for, both the good and bad).

Noah Bible Reflection to do as a family (may have to be slightly edited for younger children)

Read Genesis 7:24-8:21

Talking it Out – Maybe in a journal page instead of out loud

1. Define faith. What is it to you?

2. Who in your life is a good example of faith? Why? In what way has their faith made a difference in your life?

3. On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your faith right now? Explain.

4. What would need to happen for you to grow in your faith?

Thinking it Through:

1. How often do you seek God and pray to Him when everything is going well in your life?

2. Why do we tend to pray more when things are going wrong?

3. What does that say about our relationship to God, is it need-based or love-based?

Closing Prayer:

Lord, help me to talk to You every day. Help me to share everything about me with You, both the good and the bad. Give me the strength to follow Your will. Lord, give me the knowledge and wisdom to know what Your will is. Amen.

Lord, I want to pray for the following people… (say your intercessions to God, in other words pray for a friend, family member, etc. and be specific about what you are praying for, both the good and bad)

Abraham Bible Reflection to do as a family (may have to be slightly edited for younger children)

Read Genesis 22:1-18

Talking it Out – Maybe in a journal page instead of out loud

1. Define faith. What is it to you?

2. Who in your life is a good example of faith? Why? In what way has their faith made a difference in your life?

3. On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your faith right now? Explain.

4. What would need to happen for you to grow in your faith?

5. Have you ever doubted God, like Sarai did? Why do you doubt God?

6. Do you need to “understand” where God leads you or does trust come easy?

Thinking it Through:

1. Would you follow God wherever He led you and do whatever He told you, no matter how hard your path might be, if He spoke directly to you? Why or why not?

2. Describe times you feel like you have heard the voice of God in your life?

Closing Prayer:

Lord, thank You for the gift of faith. I struggle with doubts in my life, help me to trust You God, my parents, teachers, etc. Give me the strength to follow your will. Lord, give me the knowledge and wisdom to know what Your will is. Amen.

Joseph Bible Reflection to do as a family (may have to be slightly edited for younger children)

Read Genesis 37 (this is only the part where his brothers sold him into slavery)

Talking it Out – Maybe in a journal page instead of out loud

1. Is it more difficult to forgive or forget? Why?

2. Do you think a Christian should forgive even if the person who hurt them does not repent (feel sorry for what they did)? Why or why not?

3. What have you learned about forgiveness in your own life?

4. Is there someone that you need to forgive?

5. Is there someone you should ask forgiveness from? What is stopping you?

Thinking it Through:

1. What do you think was more difficult for Joseph, the fear of never seeing his family again, or seeing them again after what they had done to him?

2. What would you have done if you were Joseph?

Closing Prayer:

Lord, forgive me for the times I have sinned against You. Help me to forgive those people who have been mean to me. Give me the strength to follow Your will and forgive others. Lord, give me the knowledge and wisdom to know what Your will is. Amen.

Lord, I want to pray for the following people… (say your intercessions to God, in other words pray for a friend, family member, etc. and be specific about what you are praying for, both the good and bad)

Moses Bible Reflection to do as a family (may have to be slightly edited for younger children)

*Moses gave many reasons why he was not qualified to speak to Pharaoh and lead God’s people.

However, he trusted and followed God’s will.

Moses was not popular with the Egyptians  AND the people he was sent to free.

Read Exodus Chapter 5

Popularity Personal Reflection:

1. What do you believe are the reasons so many people want to be popular?

2. Why does popularity tend to be so shallow and short-lived?

3. What has been your experience with people trying to be popular?

4. Name some of the effects of seeking popularity above all else.

5. Who are some people you know that do not seek to be popular? What makes them different? Do others mock them for those differences?

6. Do you agree or disagree with this statement: Popularity is less important than true friendship.

7. What concrete and real steps are you going to take to make people feel welcome, whether they are popular or not?

Closing Prayer:

Lord, help me to put You first in my life. Help me to pray for those who struggle with fitting in. Give me the strength to follow Your will. Lord, give me the knowledge and wisdom to know what Your will is. Amen.

Lord, I want to pray for the following people… (say your intercessions to God, in other words pray for a friend, family member, etc. and be specific about what you are praying for, both the good and bad).

Courage based in faith makes it possible to face any obstacle with confidence in God.

Jesus taught us that courage doesn’t eliminate fear and doubt, however if we follow his example it conquers them.

Read Daniel Chapter 6 (Daniel was thrown to the lions to be killed because the law said no one could pray to God, but only the king. Daniel had courage and survived because God saved him.)

Discuss the following questions:

1. Courage is not the absence of fear; it is the refusal to be mastered by it. What concrete things have you done (or could do) to more actively and courageously deal with your fears?

2. What are you afraid of? Why?

3. Did it get easier as you went on? Why?

4. When was a time in your life when you had to trust in God? Explain.

5. How can we build up our trust in God?

Closing Prayer:

Lord, help me to be courageous and loving to others. Give me the strength to follow Your will even if I am scared. Lord, give me the knowledge and wisdom to know what Your will is. Amen.

Lord, I want to pray for the following people… (say your intercessions to God, in other words pray for a friend, family member, etc. and be specific about what you are praying for, both the good and bad).

Needs and Wants Reflection to do as a family (may have to be slightly edited for younger children)

Read Luke 12: 15-21

Needs and Wants Activity and Reflection (a need is something needed to survive [water, food, shelter] while a want is something that people desire to have, that they may, or may not, be able to obtain.):

1. Write out a birthday or Christmas list right now.

2. Write down ten things you own right now that you need.

3. Write down ten things you own right now that you want but do not need.

4. Let’s start by going over our birthday and Christmas lists…

5. What are some of the things you own right now that you need? Did anything on this list surprise you?

6. What are some of the things you own right now that you don’t need? Did anything on this list surprise you?

7. How do we tell the difference between what we need and what we want? What are the deciding factors?

8. What are some ways you can guard against becoming greedy or materialistic? What are some real ways that you can share with those less fortunate than you?

Closing Prayer:

Lord, help me to be thankful for what I have. Help me to give to others out of love. Give me the strength to follow Your will. Lord, give me the knowledge and wisdom to know what Your will is. Amen.

Lord, I want to pray for the following people… (say your intercessions to God, in other words pray for a friend, family member, etc. and be specific about what you are praying for, both the good and bad).

Gossip hurts the dignity of a person and their loved ones and friends, and it offends Jesus when we speak negatively about someone who is made in His image and likeness.

We are responsible for the words we say about people and the conversations that we participate in.

Even if a conversation seems to be private, we must always evaluate whether our conversations are loving, kind, and whether Jesus would want us to participate in them.

Forms of gossip include:

• Rash Judgment – assuming as true, without sufficient foundation, the moral fault of a neighbor. This may mean running to a friend to tell him/her something that you think just happened, but do not have all the information about.
• Detraction – disclosing someone’s faults and failings to another without objectivity. This is when we purposefully go to another friend to talk about what someone does wrong and keep talking about how bad we think that person is.
• Calumny – harming the reputation of others and giving occasion for false judgments concerning them by making remarks contrary to truth. We spread half-truths about others and sometimes even make up a lie and share it with others to harm someone. It is not enough to simply tell the truth about someone. Participating in any conversation that harms the dignity of another person (whether the comments are true or untrue) is sinful.

Discuss the following questions  (*Some things on this handout may not be appropriate for young children):

1. Have you ever seen a friend affected by gossip? What happened?

2. How can we handle our anger with someone instead of gossiping or spreading rumors about them?

3. Why is it not okay to spread rumors when we hear them, even if we think they are true?

4. What is one occasion in which you could have been more loving in your conversations about others?

5. What are some ways that we can resist the temptation to gossip?

Bible verses about Gossip:

James 3:1-10 - Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you realize that we will be judged more strictly, for we all fall short in many respects. If anyone does not fall short in speech, he is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body also. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we also guide their whole bodies. It is the same with ships: even though they are so large and driven by fierce winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot’s inclination wishes. 5 In the same way the tongue is a small member and yet has great pretensions.

Consider how small a fire can set a huge forest ablaze. The tongue is also a fire. It exists among our members as a world of malice, defiling the whole body and setting the entire course of our lives on fire, itself set on fire by Gehenna. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. This need not be so, my brothers.

Psalm 34:13-14 - Who is the man who delights in life, who loves to see the good days? Keep your tongue from evil, your lips from speaking lies.

2 Timothy 2:23-26 -  Avoid foolish and ignorant debates, for you know that they breed quarrels. A slave of the Lord should not quarrel, but should be gentle with everyone, able to teach, tolerant, correcting opponents with kindness. It may be that God will grant them repentance that leads to knowledge of the truth, and that they may return to their senses out of the devil’s snare, where they are entrapped by him, for his will.

Closing Prayer:

Lord, help me to speak words of kindness and caring to others. Help me to be careful not to gossip about others. Give me the strength to follow Your will. Lord, give me the knowledge and wisdom to know what Your will is. Amen.

Lord, I want to pray for the following people… (say your intercessions to God, in other words pray for a friend, family member, etc. and be specific about what you are praying for, both the good and bad).

Read Matthew 21:12-27

Discuss the following questions on Patience:

1. How would you define the word patience? What does it mean to you?

2. In what ways do you struggle with patience in your own life? In what ways are you good at waiting?

3. In what ways was Christ’s patience tested? Do you think it was easy for Him to overcome these obstacles?

4. 4. Why do you think the Holy Spirit blessed us with the gift of patience? What are the reasons we need patience in our lives?

5. 5. How are you going to work on being more patient in your own life? What is one thing you can do this week to improve?

Closing Prayer:

Lord, help me to be patient and loving to others. Give me the strength to follow Your will. Lord, give me the knowledge and wisdom to know what Your will is. Amen.

Lord, I want to pray for the following people… (Say your intercessions to God, in other words pray for a friend, family member, etc. and be specific about what you are praying for, both the good and bad).