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Family Blueprint
by Julianne Bell
(Trapezoid "giant" becomes smaller when we learn to trust in God with Joshua and Caleb.)
The Lord gave us the blueprint of His Word to architect our family on Jesus Christ.
Going through the Bible with your family…
Weekly Scripture:
Numbers 13-14:10
Story:
"Twelve Spies, 40 Years of Wandering"
Application:
Overcoming the giants in your life.
Summary:
God commanded Moses to send twelve men from each of the tribes of Israel to go and search out the Promised Land. He gave them a list of things to find out. The spies explored the land for 40 days. Afterward, they reported to Moses with grapes, pomegranates, and figs with an account of the abundance of the land. However, they also mentioned in fear that there were giants in the land. Ten of the spies felt it would be impossible to take the land, because of the giants. But two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, said that Lord was on their side and felt they could conquer and inhabit the land. But the majority of the Israelites listened to the ten spies with the bad report.
Focus:
To teach our children not to live in fear of the "giants" in our lives, but to trust God to help us overcome.
Finding Christ:
Joshua and Caleb can be types of Jesus and the Church. The name Jesus is actually the same as Joshua in the Old Testament, meaning Yahweh Saves. Caleb means wholeheartedly, bold, and dog. Dogs were a Hebrew idiom representing Gentiles. Joshua leads Israel into the Promised Land. Caleb is called "My servant" and is said to have "wholly followed Yahweh." Jesus is our Yahweh that saves and we (mostly a Gentile Church) are to become His servants who follow Him wholeheartedly.
Live the Lesson:
This week you will need to cut out some trapezoids of the same size from different colored construction paper or print out the ones on our trapezoid illusion page with printer friendly patterns link on the top of that page: www.familyblueprint.org/trapezoid_illusion.htm
Write each of your children’s names on the lower portion of separate trapezoids (with the shorter side of the trapezoid on top and the longer side on the bottom). Ask each of your children to name their "giant," something in their lives they are having a struggle overcoming, such as being overly sensitive, exaggerating, gossiping, anger, etc. Write down their "giant" in the center of a separate trapezoid (again with the shorter side on top and the longer side on bottom of the shape). Now hold up the "giant" trapezoid above the trapezoid with their name on it. And ask them if they look smaller than the giant? Ask them Who is bigger than their giant? If they don’t guess God, help them along. Now set down the trapezoids and the one with the child’s name on it, write GOD + above the "child’s name." Let them watch you do this. Now this time hold up the trapezoid with GOD + "child’s name" above the "giant" trapezoid and ask them when they put their trust in God to overcome, who becomes bigger?
Of course this is a trapezoid illusion, but it is highly effective!
Memory Verse:
"Be strong and of good courage." Joshua 1:9
Prayer:
Dear Lord, please help us to not live in fear, but to overcome the giants in our lives by placing our trust in You.
Living the Life:
This week discuss with your children the giants each of you encounter in your lives and pray together about their giants and trusting in the Lord.
Family Blueprint has come to fruition as a complimentary service for those seeking creative ways to 'teach them (the words of the Lord) diligently to your children...' Deuteronomy 6:7
Julianne Bell is also a consultant for Once Upon A Family at www.familyblueprint.org/once_upon_a_family.htm This allows her to work from home while homeschooling her children and keeping her ministry website resources free.
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