He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars--if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Genesis 15:5-6
If you would like to learn more about the Jesse Tree and some websites on how to make one, go to my first devotion in this series Advent begins with Jesse Tree
Tuesday: The First Sin
Bible Reading: Genesis 3:1-24
Jesse Tree symbol: forbidden fruit
As a child I would hear this story and think to myself.."I wouldn't have eaten that fruit." It was hard for me to grasp my sinful nature.
It wasn't until I became an adult and a mother that I began to fully grasp my sinful nature and realized that I would have eaten that fruit. The fruit represented willful disobedience to God's commands. I make the same choice Adam and Eve made every time I choose to disobey the Lord because I want do to things my way.
When the devil spoke to Eve, he was trying to get her to doubt God's good intentions towards her: "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden?'" Gen. 3:1. He wanted her to disbelieve God's wisdom. Do we do that today? Do our children?
Do your children question your rules? Do they sometimes think they could find a better way to do something? Do they trust in your wisdom all the time? Unfortunately, the answer is probably no, especially as they grow older. Yet, God has said: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." Ephesians 6:1 and "Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord." Colossians 3:20 Discussing this with them may help them to see their sinful tendencies and their need for Jesus.
You can follow the Jesse Tree lesson with a Christmas carol or two.
When you are finished each day, you might want to talk about how Christmas is about giving much more than getting. One way that your family can give is through their daily prayers. This is a good time to pray for a specific country or for a group of people who do not know about Jesus. Two great websites to help you do this are:
Operation World go to Featured Nation and click on Country Profile
May this Christmas season be a time when each of us draw nearer to Christ and help our children do the same. God bless you!
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