Family Devotional Guide – July 6
When I was little, my family lived in Ankeny for a few years. We owned a home in northeast Ankeny, and I still have a few very vivid memories of that house. When I moved back to Ankeny 7 years ago, we visited the house I grew up in. To my surprise, the house was unrecognizable. I knew it was the right house because of the address and a small fence in the backyard that was still there. I remember leaving the house after seeing all the changes made and wondering why it was so different, and the apparent answer I came up with was because the place had new ownership.
What seems to create the most change is new ownership. Not only is this true when it comes to homes, but this is also true when it comes to our lives. The most spiritual change happens in our lives when a new owner takes over or moves in! As we have been learning throughout the last several weeks, this new owner is the Holy Spirit. Upon salvation, the Holy Spirit moves in, and we hand over the reign of our lives to Him. This is how Christians change the most and the quickest when we give the keys of our life over to the new resident, the Holy Spirit.
Many people try to change by stopping doing bad things and starting doing good things, but this type of change is just temporary. If you want permanent change to happen in your life, you must give the Holy Spirit the leading role in your life and follow His lead.
Take a few moments right now and reread our text from Sunday’s sermon, Galatians 5:16-26 and see what type of change the Holy Spirit will create in your life when you give your life to Him to lead.
As a family, couple, or as friends, discuss the questions below.
Family Discussion Questions:
- Which list characterizes you more closely the works of the flesh or the fruits of the Spirit? What would the person in your life that knows you the best say?
- Summarize the difference between Works and Fruit.
- Why can’t we make a to-do list of the fruit of the Spirit and get to work?
- What must we have in our lives to produce these fruits?
- What will it look like this week for you to abide in Christ and trust in the work of the Holy Spirit inside of you?
Prayer: Take a moment and ask the Holy Spirit to produce the Fruit of the Spirit in your this very week!
Monday- Matthew 5:1-12
Tuesday- Matthew 5:13-20
Wednesday- Matthew 5:21-30
Thursday- Matthew 5:31-37
Friday- Matthew 5:38-48
Saturday- Make-Up Reading Day