Provision: A Faith in Your Word

RELATED VERSE: GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD

A Letter to Read/Use As A Guide With Your Children

Dear Children,What is faith? The Bible says: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, conviction of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). This simply means, even though you don’t see something with your eyes, you still believe it to be true with your heart. For example, if I were to tell one of you not to touch the stovetop because it is very hot, you would not touch it (I hope). You know me, and you know of my love for you; so therefore, you have put your faith in my words. So, you see, your trust in me has kept you from burning your hand.Well, children, this is the kind of faith God wants you to have in Him. Simply believe His Word. You will find the older you get, the more questions you will have. Do seek answers, but don’t lose your childlike faith in the process. Don’t try to figure out what, how, why, or when to the point of doubt--- rather dig deep in His Word and believe all of its great mysteries from beginning to end!There are three specific areas in which I am praying for your faith to be incredibly strong. First, I pray you will believe in God’s awesome power. Believe He is the great “I AM” (Ex. 3:13-14).He can move mountains, part seas, make the sun stand still,and walk on water.He can heal the sick, make the lame man walk, and the blind man see.He can change a human heart of stone, into a tender heart that overflows with His great love.And, He can defeat the sting of death for the sake of you and me!When you pray, children, pray to this God, asking that His “will” would be done, so that He will be glorified! So much is left unaccomplished simply because of the lack of faith in a human heart. Don’t make Jesus have to ask you, like He had to ask His own disciples, Why do you doubt?Where is your faith? (Luke 8:25). Believe in Him, sweet ones. Believe in His awesome power!Secondly, I want you to always have faith in His love for you. Never doubt He cares. You are his sheep; He is the Great Shepherd who goes to the extreme of laying down His own life for yours! If you do begin to doubt, remember to ask Him to show you His great love in a fresh way, so your faith will be renewed and strengthened. The more you seek His love, the more you will find it.Thirdly, I want you to have faith in His wonderful forgiveness. This is found in confessing your sins to your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9)! Don’t go to His throne of grace and come away with a heart still full of sin because you are holding on to the guilt and shame of sin you just confessed! If you are repentant, then you are forgiven—completely. In His eyes, you are as white as snow! Believe this truth.Keep the faith, sweet ones. Stand firm in it, live by it, walk in it, and fight the good fight with it.Remember:Our God is who He says He is,He always love, and always forgives.

I love you

Teaching Tools/Activities For Your Children

1. Tell your children to stand up, put their arms by their side, and then close their eyes.2. Move a small walking distance away from them. Now, ask them to come to you, walking with their eyes closed. Tell them to listen to the sound of your voice -- you will direct their footsteps. Tell them to trust you.3. Once they have made it safely to you, hug them, love them, and explain: this is how we should follow, by faith alone, God’s voice. If we trust in His Word, and abide by it, He will direct our paths!

A Prayer To Pray Over Your Children

Dear Heavenly Father,I thank You for the “childlike” faith each of my children possess in their heart right now, believing every word of the Bible to be true, simply because of Your grace. Thank you for allowing them to trust us, as their parents, and to believe completely in the great Bible stories we tell them. Also, I praise you for their (and our) freedom in this land to hear about You. May we always proclaim You as a:God—Full of mercy, power, and loveWho can shut the mouths of roaring lions,And part rivers and seas in a moment’s time.God—Who can make great walls crumble like sand,And still a raging storm with only a whisper.God—Who can make it rain for forty daysCovering the earth, and saving the faithful.God—Who can send bread from heaven for forty years,Feeding the hungry, and saving the faithless.But most of all, may they hear and know and believeIn an awesome GodWho can defeat the sting of death,And rise victorious!Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised! (Ps. 145:3).O God, help us, as their parents, to continue to fill them up with Your words and Your ways at this young age, so they can always stand strong on Your firm foundation. Give them mighty faith as Noah, Abraham, and Moses, so you can perform mightily through them. May they realize, without You, they can do nothing; yet, with You, nothing is impossible!And as they grow, I pray their faith will not shake or waver when Satan tries to defeat them with all the worries of this world. Keep them strong, dear Lord, reminding them they need not fear. For You, their Deliverer, have overcome the world!O Father, I also pray You will remind them, without faith, they cannot please You. I pray they will never doubt Your power in them, or Your love for them, or Your forgiveness granted to them. Please cause these fundamental truths to reign in their hearts and minds.May they dare to touch the fringe of Your coat, lord Jesus. For You are the cornerstone of our faith. With this kind of faith, they can live life abundantly, as You desire them to! I pray they will always hide themselves in the shadow of Your wings, believing You are their strong tower in any storm, and an indestructible refuge in any time of trouble. And as they are in this holy place, dear Lord, give them the faith of a mustard seed, allowing them to move mountains through Your power and for Your glory.

Amen

Scripture references in letter:

Matt. 18:3-4; John 20:24-29; Luke 1:37; Matt. 8:5-13; John 10:14-15; I Cor. 16:13; Gal. 3:11,4; II Tim. 4:7-8.

Scripture references in prayer:

Deut. 11:18-20; Phil. 4:13; Eph. 6:16; I John 5:4-5; Heb. 11:16; Pr. 18:10; Ps. 9:9-10; Matt. 17:20