Christmas Family Devotional

Oh come let us adore Him! The Christmas 2024 family devotional is here. Brand new look but same amazing God that rules the universe. May you and your family find this a wonderful tool during the season. 

 

Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! 

His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.

     The Lord has made known his salvation;

he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.

    He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness

to the house of Israel.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;

break forth into joyous song and sing praises!

Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, 

with the lyre and the sound of melody!

With trumpets and the sound of the horn 

make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

the world and those who dwell in it! Let the rivers clap their hands;

let the hills sing for joy together before the Lord, 

for he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness, 

and the peoples with equity.

Psalm 98

This psalm is the teaching focal point. God Himself and the birth of Jesus Christ is the ultimate focus! 

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JESUS IS REVEALED!

Time of Praise and Thanksgiving:     Read Luke 2:1-20 together.

Points to talk about:

• God is in control of world events and uses them for His purposes.

This includes fulfilling prophecies from the Old Testament.

• God uses our lives for his purposes even when it looks different

than what we want.

Ask your children what Jesus means to them during this season of life. How has God watched over them? How has He taken care of them in good and difficult times?

Lead the children to praise and thank Him for Who He Is.

An example of their praise might be, “Father, I praise you for sending Jesus to us!”

or “God, thank you that I can trust you even when I’m afraid, sad, or things don’t make sense!”

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Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! 

His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. 

The Lord has made known his salvation;

he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Psalm 98:1-3

Time of Prayer: Read Psalm 98:1-3 (above).

Points for consideration from Psalm 98 and Luke 2:

• If God tells us He will do something, nothing is impossible for

Him!

• How can you treasure in your heart the things God has done?

Pray together using these points as a place to begin. Encourage them to pray from their hearts rather than what they think might please you.

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JESUS' MESSAGE BRINGS CHALLENGES! 

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; 

break forth into joyous song and sing praises!

Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, 

with the lyre and the sound of melody!

With trumpets and the sound of the horn

make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!

Psalm 98:4-6

Time of Praise and Thanksgiving: Read Luke 4:1-21 together.

Points for consideration:

• The Enemy of God will work to stop God’s plan that many will know Him (2 Corinthians 4:4). He even tried to get Jesus to stray from what God wanted.

Turn to Isaiah 61 and read verses 1 and 2. Jesus fulfilled this prophecy as well!

Isaiah 61 verse 3 tells us those who love God will receive comfort, joy, and praise.

Lead the children to praise and thank Him for His faithfulness to His Word.
An example of their praise might be, “Jesus, I praise you for doing what you promised!”

or “Thank you Jesus for being the one who was obedient to the Father even when it was hard!”

Time of Prayer:
Read John 14:15-21, then Luke 11:13, and 2 Timothy 1:7.

Talk about how these verses work together in the life of someone who loves Jesus and belongs to Him.

Points for consideration:

• God’s enemy will work against us being obedient, too. What could

  this look like?

• How and why should we praise God when things are difficult?

• The Bible teaches that God has placed His power in us by giving us

  His Holy Spirit. His power enables us to know God’s deep love for us and to give us what we need to live a life that pleases Him. What parts of my life need me to rely on God instead of my own strength?

• Do you believe what you have read in the Bible? Why or why not?

  Pray together. Pray that they would rely on God to know and follow His Ways. Pray for others in your family to stray strong in God and to do the same.

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  JESUS' MESSAGE IS FOR EVERYONE!

  Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; 

  the world and those who dwell in it! 

  Let the rivers clap their hands;

  let the hills sing for joy together before the Lord, 

  for he comes to judge the earth.

  He will judge the world with righteousness,

  and the peoples with equity. 

  Psalm 98:7-9

  Parents: Please note the following discusses God’s coming judgment. While this puts the Christmas story in its proper perspective, you alone must decide if your children are ready to hear the full reason why the Good News is truly the Good News.

  Read Revelation 20:11-15. Then read Matthew 28:16-20 and Revelation 7:9-10 together. Discuss these verses.

  Points for consideration:

  • Do you believe that this New Testament prophecy of God will also

  be fulfilled?

  • God tells us that we all have sinned and deserve death, but God’s

  gift is eternal life for those who believe in Jesus (Romans 3:23,

  6:23). Does this include you? Why or why not?

  • Now read Luke 2:8-14. God is worthy of our praise!

  Lead the children to thank Him for revealing this “Good News of Great Joy”. They may say, “Thank you, Jesus, for what you accomplished on the cross!” or perhaps “Father, I praise you for the gift of Jesus!” Ask your children to pray as God leads them.

  Time of Prayer:  Read John 3:16-17 and 2 Peter 3:9 together.

  Points for consideration:

  • What do these tell us about God’s heart toward people? Does your

  heart match his?

  • Just as Jesus traveled to share the message and sent out others to

  do the same, we also must go in obedience. The message hasn’t changed nor has God’s command to go.

  Pray together. Ask God to help you be obedient to share His Good News and to go where He leads you- across the street, throughout our country, or even to distant places on the earth!

  (Copyright Mark Taft.)

Christmas Family Devotional 2023 - Week One

The period of preparation for Christmas Day has always seemed to us the right time to try new ways of drawing our kids to Jesus.  All too often, they would see us busy with so many preparations such as shopping, decorating, and cooking, in addition to all the parties and gatherings we attend. This can all lead us to impatience, frustration, and a sense of struggle as we try to be sure our kids really understand that all these things only point to a greater event- the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We thought, "How can this change?", so we put together this Family Devotional. And we share it with you in hope that it will be an encouragement to you.

Our goal as parents is to train our children in the ways of the Lord and to see our children own a personal, ongoing, life-changing relationship with God. We go to great lengths, but all our striving may not break through and put a child’s hand in God’s. Knowing Him and His Ways through the Word is very important, and it is by the moving of His Holy Spirit and earnest prayer that God breaks the barriers that exist. As we also teach them the priority of intimate worship and honest prayer,  God moves within their hearts.

During the Christmas season, kids may be drawn to singing His praises. They may even offer up prayers of thanksgiving. Yet prayers of confession are often absent. Softened hearts come through times of confession as their need for Him becomes evident. This devotional emphasizes those three steps of prayer: praise, confession, and thanksgiving. As we train our children, we must rely on God to move on their behalf. If it’s our attitude that we will gain God’s approval through our efforts, we risk religiosity. Our goal is to humbly teach our children to “draw near to the Lord” (James 4:8). All this begins with us modeling it for them.

If you want to use it with your children or children you love, this devotional begins today and concludes at the end of the month. Some suggestions:  

1. Make this doable. Try to commit to a family devotional time, perhaps three times per ten days. Decide on a practical time. Avoid setting yourself up for failure. Adjust it as necessary so they enjoy the time- but also expect some “pushback”.  Remember, it’s about the relationship not the accomplishment. Guard against any discouragement if it doesn’t go as well as you wish, and be sure to guard against pride if it does.

2. Keep this devotional on the dinner table. Explain to your kids why the book is there. Someone is bound to remember.

3. Model praying for your kids. It will be easier for them if they follow your lead. Praise and confession may be vague terms for younger ones. Explain the words. Start simply: “Lord, I praise you for being the God who loves us”, or   “I confess  I was mean to my sister today. Forgive me for hurting her feelings”.

4. Be honest with your family what you are praying for including your own sin and weakness. It models prayer to them as well as keeps you accountable.

5. Try a family worship time. Child friendly songs don’t need to be childlike, they just need easy to understand lyrics. Train your child to express love to God and not just sing songs about Him. Remember, it is about them growing in a real relationship with Our Creator in addition to the importance of understanding theology. After your worship time, explain phrases they may not understand, i.e. what does “Awesome God” mean?

6. If you have older children, allow them to share the responsibility of reading the verses. Leading them to Him is the goal. 


7. As they grow in praise, confession, and thanksgiving, expect them to get excited about  their relationship with our Living God.  This overflow from their heart will lead then to share Him with others. 

December 1 – 10

Time of Praise
Read Psalm 63:1-8 together.
How do we earnestly seek God?
How does God satisfy us?
What does it mean to say God’s right hand upholds me?

Lead the children to pray. An example of their praise might be, “Father, you keep our family safe.  I praise you for being a strong God.” Encourage them to pray from their hearts rather than what they think might please you.

Time of Confession
Read James 5:16 together.
What is the action James is calling for?
What does confession mean?
Can confession be done with only our mouths and not our heart? Why?

Lead the children to pray. An example of confession night be, “Lord, I spoke in a rude way to my mother today. I’m sorry for being disrespectful. Help me to be kind.” Be sure they will clearly say in statement form what they did wrong. This will teach them to be responsible for their own mistakes and point them to their need for Jesus. Encourage your children to pray   for you and other members of the family who are doing this devotional time together.  Think of it as a small group gathering!

Time of Thanksgiving
Read Colossians 3:15-17 together.
How can we keep a thankful attitude?
Do you feel closer to God when you are grateful or when you are grumpy?
Name three things you are thankful for in your life.

Lead children to pray. An example of their thanksgiving may be, “Father, thank you for a Mom and Dad who love me.” Again, encourage them to speak what’s on their hearts rather than words that we long to hear.

I pray this devotional is a blessing to your family!

Watch this blog for the next two installments of the devotional.

(Copyright Mark Taft.)

Christmas Family Devotional 2022 - Week Three

Here is the third and final week of the Christmas Family Devotional for 2022. I hope this has been a blessing for you and your kids! Go to these links if you need the first or second week's material.

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December 21 - 31

Time of Praise
Open the book of Psalms together.
Show your children how often the word “praise” appears.
Lead prayers and statements of praise. It’s ok if they repeat your words. They are learning by your example. 

Time of Confession
Read 1 John 1:9 and Psalms 103:11, 12 together.
Point out that a perfect love like God’s can only truly wipe out our sins so that they are not held against us. This is hard for all of us to believe.

Model a prayer that God builds a humble spirit in them, making them willing to confess their sins, and trains them to look to God as their only true source of forgiveness.


Time of Thanksgiving
Read Psalms136 together.
Encourage your kids to repeat the line “His love endures forever” each time they hear it read. As you do this with them, pray that a true heart of thanksgiving grows in their hearts.

Lead children to ask God to build a sincere gratefulness in their hearts.

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I hope this has blessed you and your family as you celebrate the real reason for this season! 

(Devotional copyright Mark Taft. Image copyright The Stencil Revolution.)

Christmas Family Devotional 2022 - Week Two

Here is the second week of 2022's Christmas Family Devotional. If you need the first week, you can go here.

December 11 – 20

Time of Praise
Read Psalm 100 together.
What does it mean to know the Lord is God?
How can we enter into His gates and His courts?
Lead children in statements of praise. Remind them that we praise God even when we don’t feel good.

Time of Confession
Read Hebrews 4:12-16 together.
Initiate a discussion so children understand that sin is not always a visible action. It also involves what we say and what we think. We can sin in our hearts with rebellion and defiance as well.

Lead the children to pray with an emphasis on confessing the sins of their hearts, (envy or resentment, etc.), or the sin of knowing what God says to do but not taking action.

Time of Thanksgiving
Read Philippians 4:12-13 together.
Discuss the connection between gratefulness and contentedness.
Talk about the things kids are thankful for that are not material goods. You might have them talk about the traits of their family members and friends for which they are thankful.


Lead children to pray by beginning the prayer time. Keep your prayers simple and easy to understand. Encourage kids to talk to God with whatever is on their hearts. Steer them to thanksgiving with your prayers.

The final devotional will be posted on December 21. 

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(Devotional copyright Mark Taft. Image copyright The Stencil Revolution.) 

2021 Christmas Family Devotional- Week Three: December 21-31

December 21 – 31    Jesus’ Message is For Everyone

 

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
    the world and those who dwell in it!
Let the rivers clap their hands;
    let the hills sing for joy together
 before the Lord, for he comes
    to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
    and the peoples with equity.

Psalm 98:7-9

 

Time of Praise and Thanksgiving

Parents: Please note the following discusses God’s coming judgment. While this puts the Christmas story in its proper perspective, you alone must decide if your children are ready     to hear the full reason why the Good News is truly the Good News. 

 

Read Revelation 20:11-15. Then read Matthew 28:16-20 and Revelation 7:9-10 together.  Discuss these verses.

Points for consideration:

·       Do you believe that this New Testament prophecy of God will also be fulfilled?

·       God tells us that we all have sinned and deserve death, but God’s gift is eternal life for those who believe in Jesus (Romans 3:23, 6:23). Does this include you? Why or why not?

·       Now read Luke 2:8-14.  God is worthy of our praise!

 

Lead the children to thank Him for revealing this “Good News of Great Joy”.  They may say, “Thank you, Jesus, for what you accomplished on the cross!” or perhaps “Father, I praise you for the gift of Jesus!”  Ask your children to pray as God leads them.

 

Time of Prayer

Read John 3:16-17 and 2 Peter 3:9 together. 

Points for consideration:

·       What do these tell us about God’s heart toward people? Does your heart match his?

·       Just as Jesus traveled to share the message and sent out others to do the same, we also must go in obedience.  The message hasn’t changed nor has God’s command to go.

 

Pray together. Ask God to help you be obedient to share His Good News and to go where He leads you- across the street, throughout our country, or even to distant places on the earth!

(Copyright Mark Taft.)

 

 

2021 Christmas Family Devotional- Week Two: December 11-20

December 11 – 20    Jesus’ Message Brings Challenges

 

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
    break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
    with the lyre and the sound of melody!
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
    make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!

Psalm 98:4-6

 

Time of Praise and Thanksgiving

Read Luke 4:1-21 together.

Points for consideration:

·       The Enemy of God will work to stop God’s plan that many will know Him (2 Corinthians 4:4).  He even tried to get Jesus to stray from what God wanted.

·        Turn to Isaiah 61 and read verses 1 and 2.  Jesus fulfilled this prophecy as well!

·         Isaiah 61 verse 3 tells us those who love God will receive comfort, joy, and praise.

 

Lead the children to praise and thank Him for His faithfulness to His Word.  

An example of their praise might be, “Jesus, I praise you for doing what you promised!” 

or  “Thank you Jesus for being the one who was obedient to the Father even when it was hard!”

 

Time of Prayer 

Read John 14:15-21, then Luke 11:13, and 2 Timothy 1:7.

Talk about how these verses work together in the life of someone who loves Jesus and belongs to Him. 

 

Points for consideration:

·       God’s enemy will work against us being obedient, too.  What could this look like?

·       How and why should we praise God when things are difficult?

·       The Bible teaches that God has placed His power in us by giving us His Holy Spirit. His power enables us to know God’s deep love for us and to give us what we need to live a life that pleases Him. What parts of my life need me to rely on God instead of my own strength? 

·       Do you believe what you have read in the Bible? Why or why not?

 

Pray together. Pray that they would rely on God to know and follow His Ways. Pray for others in your family to stray strong in God and to do the same.

(Copyright Mark Taft.) 

2021 Christmas Family Devotional- Week One: December 1-10

Thought I would share with you something I put together to be a blessing to you, your families, and your friends. Jesus is the true focus of Christmas in our lives and in our hearts, years back, so I started thinking it would be nice to have a devotional geared toward families that they could read and reflect on the season. Here's the first part of the 2021 edition, with part two appearing on December 11, and part three coming on 

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Here's Psalm 98, the focus of this year's devotion:

Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
    have worked salvation for him.
 The Lord has made known his salvation;
    he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
    to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
    break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
    with the lyre and the sound of melody!
 With trumpets and the sound of the horn
    make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
    the world and those who dwell in it!
 Let the rivers clap their hands;
    let the hills sing for joy together
 before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

 

Psalm 98

December 1 – 10           Jesus is Revealed!

Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
    have worked salvation for him.
 The Lord has made known his salvation;
    he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
    to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Psalm 98:1-3 

 

Time of Praise and Thanksgiving

Read Luke 2:1-20 together.  

Points to talk about:

·       God is in control of world events and uses them for His purposes. This includes fulfilling prophecies from the Old Testament.

·       God uses our lives for his purposes even when it looks different than what we want.

 

Ask your children what Jesus means to them during this season of life.  How has God watched over them? How has He taken care of them in good and difficult times?

 

Lead the children to praise and thank Him for Who He Is. 

An example of their praise might be, “Father, I praise you for sending Jesus to us!” 

or  “God, thank you that I can trust you even when I’m afraid, sad, or things don’t make sense!”

 

Time of Prayer

Read Psalm 98:1-3 (above).

Points for consideration from Psalm 98 and Luke 2:

·       If God tells us He will do something, nothing is impossible for Him!

·       How can you treasure in your heart the things God has done?

 

 

Pray together using these points as a place to begin. Encourage them to pray from their hearts rather than what they think might please you.

(Copyright Mark Taft.)  

2020 Christmas Family Devotional: Week One

In many ways, this is a Christmas season unlike no other. In spite of the turmoil in the world, our families have much to celebrate!  In place of fear, we have the hope of Jesus Christ! This makes it a wonderful and timely opportunity to share the Gospel message within the context of the holidays. So, I'm pleased to offer you this year's family devotional. I've enjoyed writing it, and I hope your family gets such from it.

Our goal as believers is to bring  glory to God in the way we live and to be obedient  to Him in all things. Our goal as parents is to train our children in the ways of the Lord and to see them own a very personal, life-changing relationship with God.  From this relationship comes a desire to share His goodness and His message with those who don’t know Him. We can also encourage those who do know Him. Our children belong  to the Lord. We are only the stewards. We want them well-prepared for wherever their journey may take them! They can trust Him and not be afraid.

Our goal with this devotional is to help your children understand that God Himself wishes to write His Story in their hearts. He wants them to invest their lives in a way that pleases Him and brings His glory to the nations. May they see God actively at work  in their lives as they encounter Him, are changed by Him, and are used by Him.   

Each Monday, I'll share another portion of the devotional so you can go one week at a time.

Here's some ideas to think through as you begin. Week One follows. May God bless you and your family!

• 1.      Take time to read through this devotional before you go through it with your children. This will give you a chance to pray for them in preparation of your time together.

• 2.     Make this time doable. Try to commit to a family devotional time, perhaps three times per ten days. Decide on a practical time. Avoid setting yourself up for failure. Adjust it as necessary so they enjoy the time, but also expect some “pushback”.  If you miss a time, just pick another!  Remember, it’s about the relationship not the accomplishment.   Guard against discouragement if it doesn’t go well, and be sure to guard against pride if it does. 
• 3.     Keep this devotional on the dinner table. Explain to your kids why the book is there. Someone is bound to remember.
• 4.     Talk about the ideas shared as your read God’s Word. Check for understanding by asking good questions and by explaining words that can sound confusing. Next, talk about ways to apply what has been read. Knowledge of the Bible is empty  and meaningless unless we do what it says (James 1:22-25).  Remember, this isn’t school.  It’s a chance to grow in your relationship with your kids as you all grow closer to the Lord.
• 5.     Model praying for your kids, speaking simply and using words easy for them to understand. It will be easier for them to pray from their heart if they hear you do this.  
• 6.     Try a family worship time. Child friendly songs don’t need to be childlike, they just need easy to understand lyrics. Train your child to express love to God and not just sing songs about Him. This is part of them growing in a real relationship with Our Creator. After your worship time, explain phrases they may not understand or interpret differently, i.e. what does “God reigns” mean?
• 7.     If you have older children, allow them to share the responsibility of reading the verses. Leading them to Him is the goal. Explain any difficult words. 
• 8.     Before you move to the next section of the devotional, take a bit of time to talk about what you’ve already covered.  Check for understanding in a conversational manner.

9.     As they grow in understanding and application of God’s Word, expect them to get excited about their relationship with our Living God.  This overflow from their heart will lead then  to share Him with others. 

“Have I not commanded you? 

Be strong and courageous.

Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you 

wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

December 1 – 10           “I am the servant of the Lord”

Time of Praise and Thanksgiving

Read Isaiah 9:1-7 together.  

Paraphrase or use only verses 6 and 7 if your children are very young.

Next, read Luke 1:26-38 together. Paraphrase the story or use only verses 26-33 if appropriate.

 

Points for consideration:

·       God wants a personal relationship with His kids! 

·       He desires to involve us in His plans, and He hears the prayers of his children. 

·       Obedience to Him in key to pleasing Him. The results of being obedient may surprise us!

 

Lead the children to praise and thank Him for Who He Is and to thank Him for His Love.

An example of their praise might be, “Father, I praise you for sending Jesus to us!” 

or   “God, thank you that you will rule forever as King! There is no one else like you!”

 

Time of Prayer

Reread Luke 1:37-38.

Points for consideration:

·       If God tells us He will do something, nothing is impossible for Him!

·       God’s plan may not have been her plan, but Mary submitted to His Plan and trusted Him with her life.  This brought God glory!

Ask your children how they think God could use them.  Encourage them to think creatively.  What other people do they know who have lives that look very different from most Americans? What do they notice? Are they willing to live their lives as He leads them? How are their lives bringing Him glory now? Discuss what this means.

Pray together. Encourage them to pray from their hearts rather than what they think might please you.

(Devotional copyright Mark Taft.)