Taking Home Faith -August 7, 2011

DAILY BIBLE READINGS:
These readings are related to the Lectionary readings for this Sunday. We invite you to take time each day to read the assigned Bible passage.
Sunday                Matthew 14:22-33                 Jesus walks on water
Monday               Genesis 7:11 – 8:5               Noah saved from the flood
Tuesday              Romans 10:8-10                   You will be saved
Wednesday         Matthew 8:23-27                   Jesus stills the storm
Thursday             Deuteronomy 29:2a, 30:1-14  The word is near you
Friday                 Isaiah 52:7-10                       Beautiful are the feet
Saturday            Psalm 18:1-19                       God saves from the waters
Sunday              Matthew 15:21-28                  A woman’s faith

SCRIPTURE VERSE FOR THIS WEEK:
So you will be saved, if you honestly say, “Jesus is Lord,” and if you believe with all your heart that God raised him from death. Romans 10:9 (CEV)
SAY, PRAY AND BLESS:
A Prayer for the Week:
Jesus, you are truly the Son of God. Please take us by the hand today and rescue us from trouble. Amen.
Mealtime Prayer:
You who walked upon the sea, come and join our meal, we plea. Thank
you for your care this day; lead us, Jesus, in your way. Amen.
A Blessing to Give:
May the Lord Jesus take hold of you when you are scared. May he give
you faith to trust in him. Amen.

CARING CONVERSATION:
Discuss in your household or small group:
• Share about a time when you found yourself out of your “comfort zone.” How did you feel?
• Matthew 14:29-30 tells us that Peter stepped out of a boat to walk
on water, but soon became scared because of the wind and waves.
What are some “winds” or “waves” in your life at the moment?
• How does Jesus help us when we are in trouble? In what ways have
you experienced this?

DEVOTIONS:
Peter was sinking, but Jesus reached out his hand and caught him
(Matthew 14:31). In your home devotional times this week, share your
fears or concerns with one another. After each person has shared, join
hands with them and say these words: “Take courage. Jesus is with you.
Do not be afraid.” Give your worries to Jesus in prayer.
SERVICE:
Romans 10:15 says: “the feet of those who bring the Good News
are beautiful.” Do you know of a fellow Christian who is serving as a
missionary overseas or in another part of your country? Find out their
address and put together an “encouragement package” to send to them.
Let them know that you are praying for them, and commit to doing so
during your household prayer times over the coming weeks.
RITUALS AND TRADITIONS:
Jesus came to the disciples in the middle of the night and calmed their
fears. Bedtimes are special opportunities for household members to
talk, listen, share and pray with one another. This week make an effort to
engage with one another around bedtimes. Pray that Jesus will come and
remain with you during the night, and calm any “storms” that those in your
household may be experiencing. Recite together the words of Psalm 4:8 –
“I can lie down and sleep soundly because you, Lord, will keep me safe.”
© 2010 Vibrant Faith Ministries. All rights reserved. Written

Taking Home Faith -August 14, 2011

DAILY BIBLE READINGS:
These readings are related to the Lectionary readings for this Sunday. We invite you to take time each day to read the assigned Bible passage.
Sunday         Matthew 15:21-28          A woman’s faith
Monday         2 Kings 5:1-14              The foreigner Naaman is healed
Tuesday        Matthew 8:1-13             Jesus heals many people
Wednesday   Acts 14:19-28               God opens the door to Gentiles
Thursday       Acts 15:1-21                 Believing Jews accept the Gentiles
Friday            Romans 11:13-27         God saves Jews and Gentiles
Saturday        Psalm 87                    Foreigners praise God in Zion
Sunday          Matthew 16:13-20        Peter’s confession of Christ

SCRIPTURE VERSE FOR THIS WEEK:
The Lord says, “Hold on to what is right and fair. Do what is right and good. My saving power will soon come.” Isaiah 56:1 (NLT)
SAY, PRAY AND BLESS:
A Prayer for the Week:
Lord Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on us this day!
Mealtime Prayer:
Lord, we give you praise and gratitude - for all our drink and all our food,
for rest and work and roof above, and most of all for your great love.
Amen.
A Blessing to Give:
May God show loving-kindness towards you and bring good to you. Amen.
CARING CONVERSATION:
Discuss in your household or small group:
• The woman who came to Jesus for help wasn’t made very welcome
by his disciples (Matt. 15:23). Have you ever felt unwelcomed by
others?
• How does Jesus want us to treat people who are different from us?
• What welcome does God show to us as his people? In what ways
can we better welcome others at home? At church?
DEVOTIONS:
The prophet Isaiah declared God’s intention to make his house a “house
of prayer for all nations” (Isaiah 56:7). As a household, discuss how you
can make your home into more of a “house of prayer.” Write and post
up a list of prayer points and spend at least a couple of minutes praying
together each day. If you’re looking for some fresh ideas for prayer, try
this one. Pass around a bag or bowl of M&Ms (or equivalent sweet) the
next time your household is gathered for prayer. Let each person take a
handful, but don’t let anyone eat them yet. Explain that the color of the
M&Ms will indicate the direction of your prayers. Lead your household in
prayer using this guide:
• For every red M&M, pray for a member of your family by name.
• For every green M&M, pray for a friend or neighbour.
• For every orange M&M, pray for a teacher in your life.
• For every yellow M&M, pray for someone in need.
• For every dark brown M&M, pray for a leader in your life.
• For every light brown M&M, pray for Christians in other places.
• For any other color, offer a prayer of your choice!
SERVICE:
The Canaanite woman came to Jesus to ask him to heal her daughter,
who was suffering terribly. Make a card to send to someone who is
suffering in some way at the moment.
RITUALS AND TRADITIONS:
Blessing one another at the beginning and/or the end the day can be very
powerful and significant daily faith ritual. Use the blessing in this week’s
Taking Faith Home to bless one another each day this week. Mark the sign
of the cross on one another’s foreheads or palms as you say the words of
blessing.

Taking Home Faith -August 21, 2011

DAILY BIBLE READINGS:
These readings are related to the Lectionary readings for this Sunday. We invite you to take time each day to read the assigned Bible passage.
Sunday         Matthew 16:13-20          Peter’s confession of Christ
Monday        John 1:43-49                 The confession of Nathanael
Tuesday       John 11:17-27               Martha’s confession of Christ
Wednesday  Matthew 27:50-54         The confession of soldiers
Thursday      Acts 9:20-31                Saul’s confession of Christ
Friday          Romans 1:1-6               Testimony to Jesus, Son of God
Saturday      Isaiah 45:18-25             There is no other God
Sunday        Matthew 16:21-28         Take up your cross and follow

SCRIPTURE VERSE FOR THIS WEEK:

Then Jesus asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter spoke up, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16: 15-16 (CEV)
SAY, PRAY AND BLESS:
A Prayer for the Week:
Jesus, you are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Help us to point
others to you by the way we live. Amen.
Mealtime Prayer:
God, we offer you our heartfelt praise, for great and mighty are your
ways. Thank you for our daily fill; equip us, Lord, to do your will. Amen.
A Blessing to Give:
May the Lord answer your prayers. May he make you strong and brave to
speak up for him. Amen.

CARING CONVERSATION:
Discuss in your household or small group:
• Share about a time when you had a different view from someone
else.
• What are some of the different ideas people have about Jesus?
Who do you say Jesus is?
• In what ways do you show or tell others what you believe about
Jesus?
DEVOTIONS:
In Romans 12:1, the apostle Paul encourages Christians to offer their
whole bodies in service to God. As part of your home devotional times
this week, draw a large outline of a body (or trace around someone). Talk
about how we can use different parts of our bodies (eyes, ears, hands,
feet etc.) to serve God, and write your ideas onto the paper. Place your
body drawing up onto a wall and use it as a focal point for action and
prayer during the week.
SERVICE:
Romans 12:6-8 lists a number of different gifts that God gives to his
people: telling others the Good News (prophesy), helping others,
teaching, encouraging, sharing or giving, leading, and showing kindness
to others. Name the gifts you see at work in different members of your
family. Talk about ways you can use these gifts to serve God in your
church, family and community.
RITUALS AND TRADITIONS:
Jesus called Peter’s confession of him as the Son of God the “rock” upon
which he would build his church. Make a rock sculpture to place in your
home or in your garden. Position a cross atop the sculpture or paint the
words “Jesus is the Son of God” on the rocks.© 2010 Vibrant Faith Ministries. All rights reserved.

Taking Home Faith -August 28, 2011

DAILY BIBLE READINGS:
These readings are related to the Lectionary readings for this Sunday. We invite you to take time each day to read the assigned Bible passage.
Sunday             Matthew 16:21-28           Take up your cross and follow
Monday            Matthew 10:32-39            Losing life to find it
Tuesday           Matthew 20:17-28            Jesus again predicts his death
Wednesday      Luke 9:57-62                  The cost of following Jesus
Thursday          Philippians 3:7-16            Running towards the goal
Friday              1 Peter 4:12-19                Suffering as a Christian
Saturday          Psalm 101                      The life of the righteous
Sunday            Matthew 18:15-20            Seeking reconciliation 

SCRIPTURE VERSE FOR THIS WEEK:
Then Jesus said to his disciples: “If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me.”
Matthew 16:24 (CEV)
SAY, PRAY AND BLESS:
A Prayer for the Week:
Lord Jesus, teach us to put you first, take up our crosses, and follow you. Amen.
Mealtime Prayer:
For all we eat and all we wear, for daily bread and nightly care, we thank
you, Heavenly Father. Amen.
A Blessing to Give:
May God keep your faith in Jesus alive and strong. May God help you to
stay joyful and give you patience when times are hard. Amen.

© 2010 Vibrant Faith Ministries. All rights reserved. Written

CARING CONVERSATION:
Discuss in your household or small group:
• What is something you find difficult to do? What makes it so?
• Sometimes following Jesus involves suffering or difficulty. In what
ways have you experienced this?
• Jesus says “if you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But
if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it” (Matthew 16:25).
What do you think he means by this?
DEVOTIONS:
Look together at Romans 12:9-21. Make up a poster listing and
illustrating all of the things these verses call upon Christians to do (e.g.
love others, honor others, be joyful, pray, bless). Put the poster up in
a prominent place. Pray for God’s help to live out these things in your
home this week.
SERVICE:
This week, work together as a household to make small crosses out of
note cards or popsicle sticks. Write the words “Take up your cross and
follow me” on each cross. Commit to carrying your crosses with you this
week as a reminder of Jesus’ call to follow him in all things.
RITUALS AND TRADITIONS:
When we hear the word “disciple,” most Christians think of the twelve
disciples of Jesus, who journeyed with him from place to place in his
ministry, and we associate discipleship with being away from home more
than in it. But our homes are where we spend a great deal of time, so
they are the primary context in which we are called to live out our faith. In
the ups and downs of household life, our faith and character are shaped,
tested and grown through our interactions with those who know our very
best and our very worst. The call to take up one’s cross and follow Jesus
is often not a call into unfamiliar places but to live differently with familiar
faces. Romans 12:13 says: “Share with God’s people who are in need.
Practice hospitality.” Plan one way you can respond to this as a household
this week.

Taking Home Faith -September 4, 2011

  SCRIPTURE VERSE FOR THIS WEEK:
“Where two or three people meet together in my name, I am
there with them.”
Matthew 18:20 (NIRV)
SAY, PRAY AND BLESS:
A Prayer for the Week:
Lord Jesus, please help us to love others as much as ourselves today.
Amen.
Mealtime Prayer:
As two or more do gather here, we thank you, Christ, for coming near.
Please bless this food and our home too, that we may shine with love for
you. Amen.
A Blessing to Give:
May the Lord Jesus be with you. May you be one with him, and at peace
with others. Amen.
b i b l e r e a d i n g s
DAILY BIBLE READINGS:
These readings are related to the Lectionary readings for this Sunday.
We invite you to take time each day to read the assigned Bible passage.
Sunday Matthew 18:15-20 Seeking reconciliation
Monday Matthew 5:38-48 Loving your enemies
Tuesday Matthew 18:6-10 Don’t cause others to stumble
Wednesday Luke 6:37-42 Forgive and you will be forgiven
Thursday Colossians 3:12-15 Forgive as the Lord forgave you
Friday Ephesians 4:25-32 Do not sin in your anger
Saturday Psalm 32 Blessed are the forgiven
Sunday Matthew 18:21-35 A parable about forgiveness
© 2010 Vibrant Faith Ministries. All rights reserved.

CARING CONVERSATION:
Martin Luther shared his thoughts on forgiveness in the Fifth Part of the
Lord’s Prayer in his Small Catechism (“Forgive us our sins, as we forgive
those who sin against us.”):
“We ask in this prayer that our heavenly Father would not regard our
sins nor deny these petitions an their account, for we are worthy of
nothing for which we ask, nor have we earned it. Instead we ask that
God would give us all things by grace, for we sin daily and indeed
deserve only punishment. So, on the other hand, we, too, truly want to
forgive heartily and to do good gladly to those who sin against us.”
• What do you think it means to forgive someone? Do you find it
difficult or easy to forgive? Why?
• This is what God’s forgiveness mean to Luther. What does God’s
forgiveness mean to you?
• How does God’s forgiveness change the way we see and treat other
people when they sin against us?
DEVOTIONS:
As part of your household devotional times this week, spend a few minutes
admitting your sins to each other, and asking for and receiving words of
forgiveness.
Each person may say: “I am sorry for (name a particular thing) and ask you
to forgive me.”
Others may respond: “God has forgiven me, and I forgive you in his
name.”
Express your forgiveness with a handshake, hug or kiss.
SERVICE:
Challenge members of your household to each do at least one act of
kindness for another person every day this week (whether at school, work
or at home). Report on your efforts at evening mealtimes. Share about
how your acts of kindness were received by others.
RITUALS AND TRADITIONS:
Jesus promises that wherever two or three people come together in his
name, he is with them (Matthew 18:20). This week, light a candle when
you meet as a household to symbolize Christ’s presence with you, and say
together the verse for this week.
© 2010 Vibrant Faith Ministries. All rights reserved. Written by Pr. Greg

Taking Home Faith -September 11, 2011

DAILY BIBLE READINGS:
These readings are related to the Lectionary readings for this Sunday. We invite you to take time each day to read the assigned Bible passage.
Sunday           Matthew 18:21-35          A parable about forgiveness
Monday          Genesis 18:20-33          Abraham pleads for Sodom
Tuesday         Genesis 33:1-16            Jacob meets Esau
Wednesday    Genesis 45:1-15            Joseph forgives his brothers
Thursday        1 Samuel 26:5-25           David spares Saul’s life
Friday            Acts 6:8-15, 7:54-60       Stephen prays for his killers
Saturday        Psalm 79                       Help us, O God our Savior
Sunday          Matthew 20:1-16             Parable of the vineyard workers

SCRIPTURE VERSE FOR THIS WEEK:
The Lord is merciful! He is kind and patient, and his love never fails. Psalm 103:8 (CEV)
SAY, PRAY AND BLESS:
A Prayer for the Week:
Heavenly Father, thank you for forgiving us. Help us to forgive others from the heart. Amen.
Mealtime Prayer:
Lord, as we eat the food you give, make us ready to forgive. We’re so
glad we have your love; thank you, Father, up above. Amen.
A Blessing to Give:
May the Lord forgive you all your sins, and help you to forgive others. Go
in peace. Amen.

© 2010 Vibrant Faith Ministries. All rights reserved.

  CARING CONVERSATION:
Discuss in your household or small group:
• Have you ever felt let down or hurt by someone again and again?
How did that make you feel? What did you do?
• Jesus told a parable about a master and two servants (Matthew
18:21-35). What is Jesus saying there about forgiveness?
• What does it mean to forgive someone else “from the heart”?
Unless we extend forgiveness to others, our lives may be poisoned by
anger and hard feelings. Past hurts can magnify as they accumulate,
and once-loving relationships can become damaged almost beyond
repair. The principle of forgiveness should be taught to children early in
life. One of the best ways to teach forgiveness is to practice it yourself
by asking for and extending forgiveness to your children. Point out
that feelings of anger or bitterness often hurt the offended person
more than they hurt the offender, and that forgiveness, extended
unconditionally, sets both parties free. Pray with them for the strength
and the will to forgive. Talk with them about how God’s grace helps us
forgive others.
DEVOTIONS:
Joseph came to see that God had worked through his difficult times to
bring about something very good. As part of your home devotional times
this week, read Genesis 50:15-21 and share stories about how God has
worked through periods of difficulty in your lives to bring about good. Give
thanks to God in prayer for being with us in our hard times, and for God’s
goodness to us.
SERVICE:
Through his work as a leader in Egypt, God used Joseph to take care
of many people in a time of great famine. Prepare a letter to send to an
elected leader of your region or community. Thank them for their work on
your behalf and let them know that you are praying for them.
RITUALS AND TRADITIONS:
Find a page or roll of small white stickers and write “70x7” on each.
Stick these up around your home to remind you of Jesus’ call to practice
forgiveness toward one another.
© 2010 Vibrant Faith Ministries. All rights reserved. Written by Pr. Greg