This Nine-Star Review #3 revisits the last nine discussions (excluding Advent) & includes family activities.
Philippians: Shine Like Stars – DAY 62
Family Discussions for a New Year
DAY 62/FRI.-SAT.
Philippians 2:14-30
Nine-Star Review #3
“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
19I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. 21For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.
25But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, 30because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.”
Philippians 2:14-30 (NIV)
This post is a review of the last nine discussions (excluding Advent) & includes family activities.
DAY 41: Without Grumbling
The Philippian Christians are instructed to do everything without grumbling.
*To revisit DAY 41, click here.
Countermeasures
Discuss how your family can apply some of the “countermeasures” to grumbling we unearthed in the New Testament.
- Remember that the Lord’s coming is near.
- Read about the patience & perseverance of Job & the OT prophets.
- Keep in mind the Lord’s compassion & mercy.
- Seek understanding for difficult passages of Scripture.
- Pray for God to help you accept hard teachings in the Bible, especially those taught by Jesus.
- Choose faith! Believe Jesus because He’s Jesus.
- Remember that “fairness” & “favoritism” are not Kingdom concerns: “those who are last will be first.”
- “Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is.”
For Preschool: Grumble & Grin Game
Play a game in which you say something with a grumble & another player has to counteract it.
For example:
- Player 1 grumbles: “I don’t want to wait!”
- Player 2 grins: “We can wait. Jesus is coming soon!”
- Player 2 grumbles: “That’s not fair!”
- Player 3 grins: “It’s OK. God blesses us all.”
- Player 3 grumbles: “But I wanted to be first!”
- Player 1 grins: “Jesus said, ‘the last will be first & the first will be last.'”
DAY 42: Wilderness Grumbling
Paul instructed the Philippian Christians to do everything without grumbling.
*To revisit DAY 42, click here.
Song
Here’s a link to a music-only video of a song I first heard in the mid-’90s as a teen about how God is GOD — greater & higher than all of us!
For Preschool: Psalm 8:1-4
Read Psalm 8:1-4 with your preschooler(s). Emphasize how God is far above us, so much more important than we are, yet we are important to Him.
“Lord, our Lord,
Psalm 8:1-4 (NIV)
how majestic is Your name in all the earth!
You have set Your glory
in the heavens.
2Through the praise of children and infants
You have established a stronghold against Your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
3When I consider Your heavens,
the work of Your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which You have set in place,
4what is mankind that You are mindful of them,
human beings that You care for them?”
DAY 43: Numbers Has My Number
Paul instructs the Philippians to do everything without grumbling.
*To revisit DAY 43, click here.
Prayer of Thanks
Pray these verses of thanksgiving to the Lord as a family. If possible, have everyone read the first and last verses together, then take turns with the rest.
“Now, our God,
we give You thanks,
& praise Your glorious name”
(I Chronicles 29:13).“I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High” (Psalm 7:17).
“I will give thanks to You, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonderful deeds” (Psalm 9:1).
“I will give You thanks, for You answered me; You have become my salvation” (Psalm 118:21).
“Praise the Lord.
Give thanks to the Lord,
for He is good;
His love endures forever”
(Psalm 106:1).In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
DAY 44: No Arguing
The Philippian Christians are instructed to do everything without arguing.
*To revisit DAY 44, click here.
Hide His Word in Your Heart
Cut out a paper heart. Fold the heart vertically, down the middle. Write Psalm 119:11 on the outside of the heart:
“I have hidden Your word in my heart
Psalm 119:11 (NIV)
that I might not sin against You.”
Write a Bible verse you or your child want to memorize on the inside of the heart. Color & decorate the heart as you see fit.
DAY 45: A Warped & Crooked Generation
Paul didn't want the Philippian Christians to end up like the warped, crooked generation of Israel.
*To revisit DAY 45, click here.
Give your child a sheet of paper and have them fold it in half (horizontally will probably be best). Have them unfold it, then draw a crooked line across the top half and a straight line across the bottom half.
Over (or under) the crooked line, have them write Deuteronomy 32:5:
“They are corrupt and not His children;
to their shame they are a warped and crooked generation.”
Above (or below) the straight line, have them write Philippians 2:14-16:
“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.”
Preschool Version
Fold a sheet of paper in half horizontally. If your preschooler is old enough, have him or her draw a crooked line on the top half. Tell them when we don’t do what God says, life gets crooked like that line, and so do we.
Draw a sad face by the crooked line. Now, draw a straight line on the bottom half of the paper. Tell your preschooler that when we do what God says, our lives go the way they should, straight toward Him, and this makes God smile.
Draw a happy face near the straight line. Let your preschooler color if they wish!
DAY 46: Hold Firmly to the Word
Paul writes that the Philippian Christians will shine among a warped, crooked generation like stars in the sky as they "hold firmly to the word of life."
*To revisit DAY 46, click here.
Have your kids trace their hands on paper, then label them as the illustration in the picture shows. Discuss how doing each of these things will help them hold firmly to the Word.
DAY 59: I Will Always Remind You
“Only let us live up to what we have already attained.”
Philippians 3:16 (NIV)
Paul reminds the Philippians to live up to what they have already attained.
*To revisit DAY 59, click here.
Tie a String on Your Finger
What is something you would like your child to remember? God loves you? Jesus saves us from our sins? Tie a piece of yarn or string to one of your child’s fingers and tell them to think of what you want them to remember each time they look at it.
DAY 60: I Wanna Be Like Paul & Timothy
Paul & Timothy were godly examples for the Philippian believers to follow.
*To revisit DAY 60, click here.
Have your kids make a short list of people they can pray for. Each day, maybe at dinnertime or bedtime, have them pray for one person on their list & put a checkmark beside it. Aim to cycle through the list a couple of times, which will get them used to praying for other people. If it starts to feel too routine, make a new list of new people!
Preschool Version
Practice praying for someone different each day when you pray with your preschooler(s). Maybe even pray for a specific person on a specific day each week, like “On Mondays, we’ll pray for Grandma.”
DAY 61: Epaphroditus Anxiety
The Philippians were possibly suffering from “Epaphroditus Anxiety” — concern for their sick friend who had been sent to aid the apostle Paul.
*To revisit DAY 61, click here.
A Prayer Based on Phil. 2:25-30
Father God,
Thank You for Your Word.
Lord, when our fellow believers have needs, whether spiritual or physical, may our hearts be moved with compassion and our minds & bodies to action! Let us not be those who are “too heavenly-minded to be any earthly good” nor “too earthly-minded to be any heavenly good.”
On questions about faith & healing, bless us with clarity. Let us not be led astray by those who twist Your words. Instead, may we trust You & Your plan above all others, knowing You are not only all-knowing, but also perfectly holy, good, & loving.
We love You! Thank You for first loving us.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
For Preschool: Praying for the Sick
The Philippians were possibly suffering from “Epaphroditus anxiety” — concern for their sick friend who had been sent to aid the apostle Paul. Preschoolers need to know that when their friends or family are sick, they can pray to God for them. They also need to know that God’s plan is best, and He will take care of the sick whether He heals them now, or later, or takes them to heaven to be with Him.