Home Connect, January 2, 2011

HAPPY NEW YEARS!

Date: Sunday, January 2, 2011

Joseph Takes His Family to Safety in Egypt

Link:

http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/familyguide/main.asp

Enjoy browsing through these television listings and ratings that have been assembled especially with family viewing in mind. Talk about how this web site can guide you in planning your TV time for the next few days. Then talk about the tools God has given us to guide us in all aspects of our lives.

Link:

http://bible.crosswalk.com

God guides us through his Word. Using the search engine at this site, look for Bible verses that address God’s guidance. Let family members take turns reading the verses that you find.

Read Matthew 2:13-23. How did God guide Joseph? In what ways does God guide his children today? Can you share a personal experience when God guided you?

Group Publishing: http://teachersupport.group.com/faithweaver/homeconnect/winter-2010-2011/week-5-(january-2,-2011)

Home Connect, December 19, 2010

Date: Sunday, December 19, 2010
Jesus Is Born

Link:

http://www.bluemountain.com/

Find a Christmas card at this site that will communicate the reason Jesus was born. Send the card to at least one person. You can even add a message that expresses your thoughts of why Jesus was born!

Link:

http://www.biography.com

Click on Biography Search and then type in the name “Jesus Christ.” What does this biography say about Jesus? Of the things Jesus did, which does this biography highlight? What do you think is missing from this biography? Do you think the research adequately explains why Jesus was born? Explain your thoughts on this.

Read Hebrews 1:1-4. Discuss the following questions:
• Why did God send Jesus to free us from sin?
• Who does God say Jesus is?
• How does who Jesus is affect your thinking when you communicate the reason Jesus was born?

Join hands as a family and bow your heads. First, thank Jesus for who he is. Then thank God for sending Jesus.

Group Publishing: http://teachersupport.group.com/faithweaver/homeconnect/winter-2010-2011/week-3-(december-19,-2010)

HomeConnect August 8, 2010

David Defeats Goliath

Link:

http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/2498.html

Link:

http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/34328.html

Link:

http://www.quotedb.com/quotes/1870

Link:

http://thinkexist.com/quotation/we-cannot-do-great-things-on-this-earth-only/488037.html

Discuss the quotations in these links. How did each one’s understanding of the phrase “great things” differ? Were any alike? How? What do you think it means to do great things?

Consider the story of David and Goliath. Then discuss the following questions as a family:

• Why was it a great thing for David to defeat the giant Goliath? How does David’s lack of stature and military ability show the power of God? Explain.

• Do you think God still uses people today to show his power? Explain.

• Can God use anyone to do great things? Can God use you? How?

Group Publishing:http://teachersupport.group.com/faithweaver/homeconnect/summer-2010/week-10-(august-8)

HomeConnect August 1, 2010

God Chooses David to Replace Saul

Link:

http://www.ask.com/

Link:

http://www.ajkids.com/

Go to the Ask.com Web site and allow each family member to enter a question, word, or phrase in the “Ask” box. Click on the “Ask” icon, and then wait to see if the Web site will have an answer. Allow children to use the Ask for Kids URL.

Consider that while the Internet may contain extensive information, it doesn’t really know anything about you. Only an all-knowing God can look inside hearts.

Turn to 1 Samuel 16:1-13. In this passage, the prophet Samuel is following God’s direction to look for the next king of Israel. Read verse 7 aloud. God tells Samuel not to base his search on outward appearance, but to remember that God looks at a person’s heart.

Let each family member offer suggestions for what God might find when he examines hearts. How does the fact that God knows you so well make you feel? Is it exciting to know that God doesn’t care how we look? Our hearts are what matters to God.

Group Publishing: http://teachersupport.group.com/faithweaver/homeconnect/summer-2010/week-9-(august-1)

HomeConnect July 4, 2010

God Answers Hannah’s Prayer

Link:
Click on this URL to read about a psychologist’s plan to use relationships to cure depression. What sort ofheavenly relationship would truly cure depression?

Link:

http://www.depression-helper.com/depressioncure.htm

At this Web site you will find that the author believes the answer to sadness and depression is to choose to be happy. As a family project, make up a list of things that you believe will make you happy.

Ask a family member to read the story of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1:1-26. Hannah was unhappy because she wanted a son. When she gave her cares to God, he answered her prayers. She was so happy that she gave her son back to God!

As a family, review the list of things that you believe will make you happy. Then discuss the following questions:

• If God gave the things on your list to you, would you be willing to give them back to God? Why or why not?

• What relationship can bring happiness instead of sadness? How do you find that relationship? How did Hannah find it?

Prayer: God, thank you for caring for us when we are sad. You are everything that we might ever want. Nothing on any list that we might write can compare to the joy of having you as our Savior and best friend.

Group Publishing:http://teachersupport.group.com/faithweaver/homeconnect/summer-2010/week-5-(july-4)

HomeConnect June 27, 2010

Ruth Marries Boaz

The letters in the word hope have been used to create a multitude of acronyms. Just for fun, let’s take a look at a few Web sites that use this word to characterize dramatically different concepts.

Link: http://www.yourhappyhealthstore.com/hope-formulas.html
At this Web site, “HOPE” represents a healthy eating plan: H for high fiber, O for Omega-3 Oils, P for Probiotics, and E for Enzymes.

b>Link: 

http://www.silmaril.ie/cgi-bin/uncgi/acronyms?HOPE

Go to this URL to find The Internet Acronym Server, which gives examples for HOPE such as “Heaven Our Place Eternally” and “Hold Onto Prayer Everyday.”

Link:

http://www.acronymfinder.com/af-query.asp?Acronym=HOPE&String=exact&p=ol

The Acronym Finder lists a variety of acronyms for HOPE including “Hackers On Planet Earth,” “Helping Other People Excel” and “History Of Political Economy.” Click on the link to read more.

Ask a family member to read Ruth 2-4, where you will find that God provided a wonderful husband for Ruth. He not only loved her, but also helped her provide for Naomi. As a family, discuss the following questions:

• In whom or what did Ruth place her hope? Do you think she expected her life to turn out exactly as it did? Why or why not?

• Have you placed your hope in God? Explain.

• Should you have preconceived ideas or expectations when you hope in God’s good plans? Why or why not? How does placing your hope in God require trust?

Remembering the acronyms that you have just viewed, create your own family acronym for HOPE. Write it on a piece of paper, and place it under your pillow or in your Bible. Remember to put your hope in God’s plans when you pray and worship.

Group Publisher:http://teachersupport.group.com/faithweaver/homeconnect/summer-2010/week-4-(june-27)

HomeConnect June 13, 2010

Samson Receives Strength From God

Link:

http://www.fbcrichmond.org/sermons/1-14-07sermon.htm

Once you reach this site, scroll down to the Roman numeral II. Read the story of a man who lifted a burning car off a woman who was trapped beneath it. Where do you think he found the strength to do this?

Link:

http://www.opendoorsuk.org/article_heroes01.php

Read the story of a young Christian girl who fought off a bride-snatcher because she would not marry anyone outside of her faith. Despite repeated beatings, she persevered long after her strength should have been gone. How did she manage to survive?

Think about times you have needed God’s strength in a crisis. Then answer the following questions as a family:

• How has God strengthened you in a time of need? Share your story.

• Why do you think Christians often forget to call on God’s strength until a time of crisis? Explain.

• What are ways that we can call on God for strength in our everyday lives? Can tapping into God’s strength become a daily habit rather than a desperate plea in a crisis? How could that change the way you live?Group Publishing: http://teachersupport.group.com/faithweaver/homeconnect/summer-2010/week-2-(june-13)

HomeConnect June 6, 2010

God Helps Gideon Defeat the Midianites

Link:

http://commondreams.org/headlines01/0103-02.htm

Link:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/stewart_mandel/news/2002/11/24/weekend_that_was/

Link:

http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/01/06/164423.php

The articles listed above deal with sports, politics, and news events. In each of them, you will find how just one man made a difference. Louis Olivier Bancoult saved an island and facilitated the return of thousands of people to their homes. He was just one man. Wesley Autrey saved a fellow subway passenger from certain death. He also was just one man.

Read Judges 6:1-16, and then read Judges 6:16 again. While Gideon wasn’t so sure that he could make a difference, God assured him that he needed “just one man.” Take a few moments to discuss these questions as a family:

• Why was God able to work through Gideon?

• In what ways have you seen God use few numbers or small circumstances to accomplish big things? Why do you think God sometimes chooses to work this way in our lives?

• How can you make a difference as just one person?

Prayer: Oh, God, use me as just one person dedicated to doing your will. Show your glory by doing the impossible and the unlikely when all logic dictates that the tasks are too difficult for human hands, for that is when the world will know it is you at work and not me.

Group Publishing: http://teachersupport.group.com/faithweaver/homeconnect/summer-2010/week-1-(june-6)

HomeConnect Week 9, May 2, 2010

Group Publishing: http://www.group.com/tips/Default.aspx?tipID=8200