D6 Family

1

Have you ever seen George Washington?

Ask:
Have you ever seen George Washington?

Do you believe that he was the first president of the United States?

Why do you believe that?

Say something like this:
We believe George Washington lived and was the first president because people who lived when he did (eyewitnesses) wrote about him. Even though we didn't see him, reliable people told us about him and his experiences. Even though we have never seen Jesus, we believe in Him because eyewitnesses told us about Him and His experiences when He lived on earth. (Over 500 people saw Jesus alive after He died on the cross. 1 Corinthians 15:6) The Bible is reliable and we can believe in Jesus even though we have never seen Him.

2

Sit on this box!

Items needed: shoebox, books, and tape

Fill a shoebox with books (to the top) and tape it shut. (Make sure that the kids don't see you doing this.) Sit it on a table and ask one of your kids to put all his weight on it. Tell him the box won't cave in and ask him to trust you, to believe that you are telling the truth. Let him test the box.

Afterwards, tell him that the box didn't cave in because it was filled with books. Say something like:

Even though you didn't know that there were books in it, you trusted me even though it seemed impossible that it wouldn't cave in." Faith means believing what God says is true. God can be trusted. The Bible is God's Word and it is reliable. God wants you to believe Him - to believe what He has said is true and obey it.

3

What keeps you from standing?

Do a little experiment with your child. Ask your child to sit in a chair with his back very straight. Place your thumb in the center of his forehead and instruct him to stand without leaning forward. (He will not be able to stand because the body's center of gravity is the stomach and a person's head must be in front of his center of gravity before he can stand.)

Ask:
Did it take something big to keep you from standing? (no - just a thumb)

Read Matthew 17:20 (If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you can command a mountain to move.)

It doesn't take a lot of faith to do amazing things for God. It is our little faith in a big God.

4

Do You Believe Me?

Items needed: banana

Thin sewing needle

Prepare the banana when your kids aren't looking. Choose a spot on the peel about one inch from one of the ends and push the needle straight into the banana, through the peel and into the soft center. (Don't penetrate the peel on the opposite side.) With the needle in place, move it up and down a few times to cut the soft center, but not the peel. Choose another spot an inch or so down the length of the banana. Repeat the process again and again. (This action will result in multiple slices of the soft fruit, while leaving only small pin-sized holes in the peel.) The result is a normal looking unpeeled banana that actually is pre-sliced.

Hold up the banana and announce to your kids that you have already cut the banana into bite-size pieces. Ask your kids if they believe you. Peel the banana revealing the already cut pieces of banana. Eat the banana.

Read Hebrews 11:1 (Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.)

Ask:
What is faith? (Faith is believing in God even though we can't see Him; faith is being sure that what God says is true)

Say something like: You couldn't see inside the banana to know if what I said was true, but if you had faith in me you would believe that what I said was true. I told you that it was already cut because I knew something you didn't. I knew I had already prepared the banana. God knows many things we do not know; we can trust that His words are true.

5

Do You Believe Me?

Items needed: banana

Thin sewing needle

Prepare the banana when your kids aren't looking. Choose a spot on the peel about one inch from one of the ends and push the needle straight into the banana, through the peel and into the soft center. (Don't penetrate the peel on the opposite side.) With the needle in place, move it up and down a few times to cut the soft center, but not the peel. Choose another spot an inch or so down the length of the banana. Repeat the process again and again. (This action will result in multiple slices of the soft fruit, while leaving only small pin-sized holes in the peel.) The result is a normal looking unpeeled banana that actually is pre-sliced.

Hold up the banana and announce to your kids that you have already cut the banana into bite-size pieces. Ask your kids if they believe you. Peel the banana revealing the already cut pieces of banana. Eat the banana.

Read Hebrews 11:1 (Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.)

Ask:
What is faith? (Faith is believing in God even though we can't see Him; faith is being sure that what God says is true)

Say something like: You couldn't see inside the banana to know if what I said was true, but if you had faith in me you would believe that what I said was true. I told you that it was already cut because I knew something you didn't. I knew I had already prepared the banana. God knows many things we do not know; we can trust that His words are true.

6

A Leap of Faith

A simple test can help your kids understand a little about faith. If your children are younger, place them on a porch or steps and ask:

Do you think I'm strong enough to catch you?

Reassure them that you will catch them. Let them jump into your arms and give them a big hug. Do this several times.

Say something like this: You jumped because you believed that I would catch you. You didn't know for sure, but you had faith that I would do what I said. God is strong and powerful. God wants us to trust Him; to believe that He will do what He has said.

7

"There Is Nothing Too Hard for You."

A great faith-building verse to memorize as a family is Jeremiah 32:17: Ah Lord GOD! behold, you have made the heaven and the earth by Your great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for You.

Read the verse aloud and let the kids make up motions to go with the words (for example: heaven—point up; power—flex muscle; nothing—shake head as if saying no, etc.)

Splink

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