We show our devotion to the Lord by spending time with Him, listening to His Word and talking to Him in prayer.

Family Bible time, or devotions, should be a Christian family's first priority each day—not as a long or complicated duty, but as the privilege it is.

 •  Establish the Habit
Firmly establishing a habit of meeting together will greatly facilitate this time together with the Lord.  Set aside a time each day, perhaps while everyone is still at the breakfast or dinner table or before going to bed at night.

 •  Read God's Word
Let God talk to you by reading His Word.  You can read through the Bible each year in just 15-20 minutes a day (See schedules).

 •  Study God's Word
Take a few minutes to discuss what you've read.  Recall facts, test comprehension with questions, expand understanding by having your children paraphrasing what was read.

 •  Apply God's Word
Determine to do something about what you have read, such as share the truth with someone or change something in your life.

 •  Memorize God's Word
Memorizing and reviewing Bible verses together implants God's Word in your hearts for life!

 •  Pray
When you talk to the the Lord, thank the Lord for what He has done for you (come to earth to die for our sins); ask for forgiveness; and bring petitions for the needs of ourselves and others.

 •  Sing
Sing praises to the Lord through hymns and spiritual songs.

Suggestions for following this model at Christmas time are included in the rest of this newsletter.

One of the most meaningful family traditions you can pass on to your children is reading the story of Christ's birth together.

 •  Read and discuss Matthew 1:18-2:23 and Luke 1:5-2:38.

 •  And/or listen to the Bible reading on an audio tape, CD, free online), or watch a video with word-for-word Scripture (Matthew: Visual Bible).

 •  Add explanations for your younger children as you read.

 •  Notice the different details given in the Matthew and Luke accounts.

 •  Read the accounts of Jesus' birth from "A Harmony of the Story of Jesus" which brings together all the relevant verses from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John rearranged by subject and approximate chronological order.

 •  Read about the incarnation of Jesus in John 1:1-18.  How does this account differ in viewpoint, etc.?

Further study brings many rich truths to bear on the simple story of Christ's birth.

 •  Recall facts, test comprehension with questions, expand understanding by having your children paraphrase what was read.

 •  Explain and discuss the names given to the promised Messiah in Isaiah 9:6 and the character quality each reveals.

 •  Find and study the prophecies in the Old Testament predicting the coming of the Messiah and their fulfillment in the New Testament such as His virgin birth, Bethlehem to be the place of His birth, and His suffering.  Many are listed online here.

Don't be afraid of the word "doctrine"; it simply means "teaching." Children can understand important foundational truths from Scripture, such as:

 •  The Virgin Birth: Jesus had no human father, only a mother. (Matthew 1:18-20; Luke 1:34-35; Isaiah 7:14)

 •  The Incarnation: Jesus is both fully God and fully man. (John 1:1-3, 14; 14:6-11; Colossians 1:12-18, 2:6-9, Isaiah 43:11, 45:21-22)

Look up some of the following Scriptures, and discuss the reasons that Jesus came.

 •  To seek and save the lost as a shepherd. (Luke 19:10; Matthew 18:11; John 10:1-30; Isaiah 53.6; I Peter 5:2-4; 2:25; Matthew 9:36; Hebrews 13:20)

 •  To give His life as a ransom. (Matthew 20:28; Romans 6)

 •  To save sinners by bearing our sins and paying our penalty. (Romans 6:23; Isaiah 53:5; I Timothy 1:15; I Peter 2:24; Hebrews 9:28)

 •  To put away sin. (Hebrews 9:26; I John 3:5; John 1:29; Leviticus 16:20-22; Isaiah 53:6; II Corinthians 5:21)

 •  To give eternal life to those dead in sin. (Ephesians 2:1-6)

 •  To give re-birth and adoption as God's children to all who receive Him in faith. (Galatians 4:1-7; John 1:12)

 •  To conquer death through His death and resurrection. (I Corinthians 15:20-22; Revelations 21:4; II Timothy 1:10; Hebrews 2:14-15)

 •  To remove enmity and establish fellowship and friendship with man. (I John 1; Romans 8:7; John 15;3-15)

 •  To reveal the Father and to demonstrate the great love of God for all men. (Romans 5:8; II Timothy 2:4; Matthew 11:27; John 14:9)

 •  To provide a pattern of holy living. (I Peter 2:21; Matthew 11:29)

 •  To demonstrate patience, humility, and obedience. (Philippians 2:5-8; I Peter 2:21-23; Hebrews 5:8; John 6:38)

 •  To fulfill prophecy. (Matthew 5:17; Romans 15:8)

 •  To fulfill and abolish the law. (Ephesians 2:13-15; Matthew 5:17-18)

 •  To be a faithful high priest and the mediator between God and man. (I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:17)

 •  To remove the veil and open the Holy Place to us. (Hebrews 6:19-20; 9; 10:19-22)

Your younger children may comprehend and remember the story of Christ's birth better through any of the following activities.

 •  Make a playdough, dough art, or clay nativity set. You could shape the figures like the "Little People" toys.

 •  See instructions for a nativity scene on pages 38-39 of Morton Salt's "Dough It Yourself" Handbook (complete and free online).

 •  Stuffable Nativity sets are great for very young children to play with.

Tell the story of Jesus' birth using felt, puppets, or unbreakable nativity figures.

 •  Easy-to-Make Bible Story Puppets by Valerie Bendt. Patterns and directions for making 40 inexpensive and durable felt hand puppets ($8).

 •  Sock puppet instructions here and here.

 •  Finger puppet patterns and instructions.

 •  Easy and inexpensive puppet stage ideas.

Help your children act out the story.

 •  They can play multiple parts and use stuffed animals as props.

 •  Costumes can be as simple as a scarf or bathrobe.