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WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS MEAN? How to Navigate the Bible
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Merry Christmas! Isn’t the Christmas Season SO great!? I love it. Christmas is about the light of Christ coming into this world to shatter the darkness and to bring life to everyone. We will be looking at the Christmas story, but also how we get to live the Christmas Story this season. Living Christmas Each week, we challenge you to focus on one way to live the Christmas Story. To live the Lite Brite Christmas Story means that we live in a way that shines the light and life and love of Jesus Christ. Here are a few ideas to choose from: Help an ‘Oldie but Goodie”: You likely have an elderly man, woman, or couple in your neighborhood. My guess is that if you offered to help them, they wouldn’t resist. Go for it. Spy Gift: Bless one person each day this week without any strings attached, without him or her knowing or anyone else seeing you. Say yes: This week, your parents, siblings, friends, peers, teachers or superheroes will ask you to help them. With a smile on your face, say, “Yes.” Give the gift of your presence: There are a lot of people who live in care facilities and would welcome a visitor. With your family, go to Alderwood or St. Francis and visit with residents. If you don’t know what to say, ask questions: “How long have you lived in Bellingham? Do you have family here? What do you like to do? What are some great Christmas memories?” Experience tells me that you will like this more than you think you might. People Matter: There are students in your schools that are usually alone. Initiate conversation with them, sit with them, eat with them, hangout with them during lunch, basically notice them as human beings and show them that they matter. Written Words: Each day, write an encouraging note to somebody. Unplug: Each day, spend 30 minutes unplugged…from TV, internet, music, game systems, phones, etc…and spend time with God (reading the Bible or praying) and investing in your relationship with your family. Fast: Do not eat breakfast or lunch or dinner or some combination and allow the hunger pains to remind you to pray for those in our community and across the globe who regularly go without.
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Week 1 Week 1, Day 1
Pray for God to bless your time together and to teach you. Read Isaiah 9:2,6 1. Who are the people walking in darkness?
2. What do you think walking in darkness means?
3. How do you think seeing a great light changes things?
4. Have you seen the light (hope, peace, joy, etc.) of God in a dark (hard) situation in your life? Explain.
5. What questions do you have?
Edge Pray it Up in 2’s Share with each other how you want to be prayed for this week. Pray together now and on your own through the week! Encounter Connect with a friend ask them how you can be praying for them this week, and share with them how you want to be prayed for this. Pray for each other through the week! Questions? Ask us via facebook, email, in person, etc...
Week 1, Day 2 Pray God, please open my eyes to the light of Christ in my life and this world. Read Colossians 1:13-14 1. What has God, the light of the world, rescued us from?
2. Darkness represents separation from God. Our sin separates us from God. What darkness/sin do you struggle with? (Write it down and write down the way it affects you and others.)
3. Now take a minute asking God to forgive you, then thank Him for rescuing you through Jesus Christ, the light of the world.
4. Now take a minute to celebrate that He rescued you.
Pray Thank God for the things that you are grateful for in your life. “Every good and perfect gift is from the Father of heavenly lights.� James 1:17 Choose: Live Lite Brite Christmas Activity Flip to the introduction page and look at the list of ideas on how to live out the truth of Christmas, meaning acting in a way that shines the light, life, and hope of Christ. Pick one and live it out today. It would be a good idea to pray before you live it out. Pray Questions? Ask us via facebook, email, in person, etc...
Week 1, Day 3 P.R.A.Y. Spend some time talking to God about what is going on in your life and the lives of those you care about. Pray also that God will prompt you to Live Lite Brite & and that He would open you to celebrate Him on Christmas day in a meaningful way. P – Praise: God, you are great because… R – Repent: God, I am sorry for… Please forgive me… Help me to resist this temptation A – Ask: God, I need you to… Y – Yield: God, I trust these things to you. May your will be done. Then take a minute to be still and listen.
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Week 1, Day 4 Family Time Christmas Light Trivia When people first started putting up Christmas lights, what did the lights represent? Get it Started • What is your most vivid memory in a dark place (cave, tunnel, power blackout, night)? • How do you feel different in darkness and light? Pray God, you are so generous and kind to me and I really don’t deserve that. Thank you so much. Please teach me about who you are through the parts of Luke that I will be reading this month. Amen. Read John 1:1-5 1. Who is “the light” who comes into the darkness? 2. According to this verse, what comes with the light? 3. In your relationship with Jesus Christ, how does He shine light in your life? In other words, how does He show you who He is and who you are? How does He meet your needs? 4. What questions do you have? Jesus Christ left heaven to go after His children, you and me, who were running away from Him as they/we lived in sin. He was born into the world, God in the flesh, and while here, before He died for our sin, He said that we will never walk in darkness. We have received an incredible gift and we have the incredible opportunity to share this gift, the light of God with others. Live Lite Brite Christmas Activity: Cornwall at the Mall On Dec 11 from 5-8:30pm, we will head to Bellis Fair Mall as a church and buy gifts for children who would otherwise not get gifts. Shine His light this Christmas season by giving a gift to the Community Toy Store. Greater Joy Challenge As you participate in Cornwall at the Mall, invite a friend or family member to give a gift to a child in need, INSTEAD of giving a gift to you.
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Week 2 Week 2, Day 1 d.group Follow Up Questions: 1. What do you think it would be like to be ________________?
2. What did you think, feel, smell, hear, fear, see?
3. Does this help you understand the Christmas Story differently?
4. How does the light of God show up in this passage?
5. What truth relates to your life?
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Week 2, Day 2 Pray LORD, I want to learn more about you. Please grow my understanding of you as I read about Jesus. Amen Read Luke 2:8-11 1. How did you come to believe that this good news of great joy is true?
2. Who helped you understand this news? What did they do that helped you?
3. How does this good news change you and the way you live your life?
Did you know that God wants to use you to share this good news of great joy — the Christmas story — with your family and friends who don’t believe in Him? We can do this by living the Christmas story. Choose: Live Lite Brite Christmas Activity Flip to the introduction page and look at the list of ideas on how to live out the truth of Christmas, meaning acting in a way that shines the light, life, and hope of Christ. Pick one and live it out today. It would be a good idea to pray before you live it out.
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Week 2, Day 3 Prayer Activity Take a minute to write on a piece of paper, “Jesus is the Light of the World.” Then, write somewhere on that paper, “Jesus, use me to help these friends and family see your good news of great joy for the first time.” Now, write their names on the piece of paper. Take a minute to pray, asking God to use you to share the love of Jesus with them.
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Week 2, Day 4 Family Time Christmas Tree Trivia Who started the Christmas tree tradition and what does the tree represent? Get it Started What is something that you have seen or received and enjoyed so much that you had to share it with someone else? Pray You are so good, God. Please make my understanding of this fresh. Amen Read Character Study Pick a character in the Christmas story that you think would work best for your family. Put yourselves in the shoes of the main character. What do you see? Smell? Hear? What emotions do you feel? What are you thinking? Read the passage and then discuss. Joseph - Matthew 1:18-24 Mary - Luke 1:26-38 Magi - Matthew 2:1-12 Shepherds - Luke 2:8-19 Follow Up Questions 1. What do you think it would be like to be ________________? 2. What did you think, feel, smell, hear, fear, see? 3. Does this help you understand the Christmas Story differently? 4. How does the light of God show up in this passage? 5. What truth relates to your life?
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Week 3 Week 3, Day 1 Pray LORD, please forgive us for the times that I doubt what you are capable of doing in my life and meeting my needs. Please grow my faith through what we are about to read. Amen. Read John 8:12 1. Jesus makes a promise to those who follow Him (Luke 9:23, John 15:3-4). What is your reaction to that promise?
2. How does this verse bring hope or encouragement to your life now?
3. How can you share you share this light with others?
4. What questions do you have?
Choose: Live Lite Brite Christmas Activity Flip to the introduction page and look at the list of ideas on how to live out the truth of Christmas, meaning acting in a way that shines the light, life, and hope of Christ. Pick one and live it out today. It would be a good idea to pray before you live it out. Pray Ask God to give you what you need to live differently, to live britely.
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Week 3, Day 2 Read Matthew 5:14-16 1. What are some ways that you think we shine the light of Jesus Christ to others?
2. What tempts you to cover/hide your light?
3. According to this passage, why do we shine our lights?
4. How do you share/shine the light and life of the world with others?
5. Questions?
Live Lite Brite Christmas Bundle up and go for a walk or drive around the neighborhood or around town. Each time you see Christmas lights, say this breath prayer, “Jesus Christ, thank you for being the light of the world,� to yourself, then thank God for something you are grateful for.
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Week 3, Day 3 Take 5 minutes (or more if you want) to spend time talking to God. P – Praise: God, you are great because… R – Repent: God, I am sorry for… Please forgive me… Help me to resist this temptation A – Ask: God, I need you to… Y – Yield: God, I trust these things to you. May your will be done. Then take a minute to be still and listen.
Questions? Ask us via facebook, email, in person, etc...
Week 3, Day 4 Family Time Get it Started Christmas is right around the corner. Take a moment and talk about how you are going to keep the focus on celebrating Jesus Christ this Christmas. If you are not sure what to do but want to do something or try something new, go to www.facebook.com/eministrychristmasideas (scroll down a little and click “See All” next to “Recent Posts by Others”). Explore other families’ ideas that they have shared. Pick one and make sure you get needed supplies in advance…if supplies are needed. Pray God, please open my eyes to the way I have turned my back on you, and I have decided to live the way I want rather than the way you want. Amen. Read John 3:16-17 Share with each other how you came to accept Jesus as your LORD and Savior, the one who conquered the darkness in your life with His light, life, and love. Questions 1. Who helped you believe in Jesus Christ? 2. What did they do that help you believe in Jesus? How did they live Christmas in a way that opened your eyes? 3. What challenges have you or do you experience in your relationship with God? Pray Praise God together for revealing Himself to you and for the people He used to lead you to Him.
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Week 4 Week 4, Day 1 Pray Father, thank you for sending Jesus Christ to this earth to show us who you are and how we are created to live. Thank you for how generous you are to us even though we don’t deserve anything from you. Please open me up to and help me see how absolutely incredible you are. Amen. Read Isaiah 9:6 & Daniel 2:44 Its crazy to realize that the birth of Jesus Christ was foretold (prophesied) long before He was born. Questions 1. What do these passages tell us about God?
2. What do they tell us about God’s kingdom?
3. How does knowing that God is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace affect the way you handle the dark, scary, unknown, hard times in life?
4. Questions?
Praise God Take a minute to thank God for the ways He has met you in your dark moments Pray Tell God how you need Him to show up in the present darkness you are experiencing.
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Week 4, Day 2 Family Time
Christmas Eve, Morning, or Day
Get it Started • Has there been something that you have wanted so much that you just couldn’t stop thinking about it? • What was/is it? How long did you have to wait, have you been waiting? • What was the waiting period like? Pray Father, please make the sacrifice that Jesus made for us very real to our hearts and our minds. Help us to live sacrificially as a family to serve one another and our community with the love you lavish on us. Amen. Needed Backstory The Israelites, God’s chosen people, experienced many years of being ruled and mistreated by other countries. God’s word told them that this would not always be so, rather He would send one to save them; He would send a Savior. They had been anticipating the coming of the Savior for hundreds of years. Read the Christmas story keeping that in mind. Read the Christmas Story Matthew 1:18-2:12 OR Luke 1:26-56, 2:1-20 1. How do the different people in the story react to the Savior, Jesus, being born? 2. What is your response to Jesus’ birth? 3. What did He give up to be born? 4. What did you do to earn his sacrificial love that drove Him to Earth? Choose: Live Lite Brite Christmas Activity Flip to the introduction page and look at the list of ideas on how to live out the truth of Christmas, meaning acting in a way that shines the light, life, and hope of Christ. Pick one and live it out today. It would be a good idea to pray before you live it out.
Questions? Ask us via facebook, email, in person, etc...
Week 4, Day 3 P.R.A.Y. Take 5 minutes (or more if you want) to spend time talking to God. Really stretch yourself to name all that you are thankful for. He has blessed you with so much, even if your life is really hard. P – Praise: God, you are great because… R – Repent: God, I am sorry for… Please forgive me… Help me to resist this temptation A – Ask: God, I need you to… Y – Yield: God, I trust these things to you. May your will be done. Then take a minute to be still and listen.
Questions? Ask us via facebook, email, in person, etc...
Week 4, Day 4 Family Time Get it Started Is there a time in your life where you experienced something that totally changed your life? Pray LORD, you are amazing. You are so big, so powerful, yet personal and so caring. You know me, love me, you even died for me. Thanks that you didn’t stay dead. Amen. Read Acts 9 1. What was Paul like before this encounter with God on the Demascus road? 2. How did the light of Christ effect Paul? 3. If you were in Paul’s position, how might that interaction with God change the way you live? 4. How did Paul live differently as a result? 5. How can you as a family share the love of Jesus? Who will you share it with? Choose: Live Lite Brite Christmas Activity Flip to the introduction page and look at the list of ideas on how to live out the truth of Christmas, meaning acting in a way that shines the light, life, and hope of Christ. Pick one and live it out today. It would be a good idea to pray before you live it out.
Questions? Ask us via facebook, email, in person, etc...