For dad only:

Be Human

When we discuss the amazing truth of the Oneness of God to children, we often focus on the power, wisdom, and majesty of the Lord. We talk about Jesus in divine terms, referencing His supernatural power and wisdom. However, so much of the New Testament focuses on the mere humanity of Jesus Christ, that we should not overlook it. God became a man like you and I. This man struggled with human feelings of hunger, grief, and pain. He was a social outcast in some circles because of His unpopular homeland of Galilee, His migration from Egypt, and His conception out of wedlock. He did not try to hide His humanity from people.

God became flesh

God did the greatest thing in history when He became one of us. He came to experience sweat, bland food, good food, funerals, windy days, hard work, and campfires. He went fishing, hiking, and socializing. He had friends, enemies, and family members. He endured tense family relationships and social rejection. He had great success and dismal failure. He laughed, cried, worshiped, groaned, and relaxed. He did not die of spiritual causes. He died of mortal wounds, suffering shock and trauma throughout the agonizing day of His death. Too often, we picture a Jesus very unlike ourselves. However, He was every bit a part of this world just as we are.

Become a human being

Children often view their parents as something otherworldly. Dad, I have had to become real with my kids. I cannot pretend to them that I have no faults. Bitterness grows in the heart of children who see their parents continuing the same sins they get punished for. I admit my faults to my kids and let them know I am working against my own corrupt nature, just as they are theirs. Since I cannot excuse their wicked behavior, I cannot excuse my own.

More than just an honest heart, you need to get on your children’s level. Work together and play together. Play games like Simon Says or Charades where you are not in charge. Become one of them. Play a sport they are better at than you are. Let them have the advantage and take leadership. Not only will they relate to you better, you will see life from a new perspective when you come down from your place of authority and see life from their eyes. You will be amazed when you follow God’s example. Make the Oneness of God a living truth for your kids when you become one them and not just their supreme ruler.

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One of the longest-standing books on the Oneness of God is a book by David Bernard, The Oneness of God. Kids may not understand it all, but dads who study will be able to answer their children’s questions as they arise. A classic in its own time, The Oneness of God needs to be in every home library.

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Read this story to your kids:

 

Cockatiels, Anyone?

This story continues from last time when Rusty had just brought home a new pet bird.

Rusty reached into the big cage he and dad had made and clipped the feeder tray onto the wall near the perch. Dad had already opened the box of bird food and held the little plastic scoopful out to Rusty. Rusty thanked him and poured the food into the feeder. The noise of the dry food made the cockatiel jump away and flitter to another perch.

“What’s the matter, Adam?” Rusty asked his pet. “Did I scare ya’, little guy? Come on down and eat some lunch.”

The bird looked at him. Rusty closed the cage door and walked around the cage to where the bird had perched. “Hey, Adam,” he said gently, “are you hungry?”

The little bird flitted away from him.

“Let’s fill his water bowl,” Dad said. “Maybe we can get him to come drink something.”

Rusty walked down the hall and filled the bowl with water. He carried it back slowly and set it in the cage, near the food. The bird fluttered to the other end of the cage. “I think he is afraid of me,” Rusty said. “How do I get him to know how much I like him?”

Dad sighed. “Well, it might just take some time, Son.”

Rusty walked slowly around the cage. “Okay, Adam, little buddy. Are you thirsty?”

The bird hopped away again.

Rusty shrugged. “I don’t want him to be scared of me.”

Dad put his hand on Rusty’s shoulder. “Tell you what; let’s go build that jungle gym we talked about.”

“Okay,” Rusty said more cheerfully. “I bet he will like that.”

In the garage, they found some plastic pipes, some string, some dowels, a bell, and a long spring. They brought all their materials together and started sawing and drilling. Then they started gluing and sanding. Rusty had more ideas for the gym than they had materials to do it with.

“Slow down, Rusty,” Dad said, laughing. “You have some great ideas there, but remember, this jungle gym has to fit inside the bird’s cage for now. We cannot let him out yet.”

“You mean someday we can let him fly around the house?”

Dad shrugged. “I don’t know—maybe if your mom is not home.”

“Dad!” Rusty said.

“I’m just kidding. Before we let him out of the cage, though we’ve got to let him know we are his friends, or we might never catch him again.”

“There!” Rusty said, after tightening the last nut and bolt. “I think we have put the last piece on.”

“At least until you think of some more inventions.”

Rusty grinned. “Adam should have a lot of fun with this, Dad. He’s got a ladder to climb from my old fire truck. He can ring the bell hanging from this string. The rubber ball here at the end of the spring will be his punching bag.”

“Do you really think he will use the plastic tube as a slide?”

“I don’t know,” Rusty said grinning, but it will be fun to pretend. I bet he will walk through and maybe even sleep inside these two larger pipes.”

“Well, boy genius, should we add anything else?”

“How about a trapeze for him to swing on?”

“A swing! That will be easy,” Dad said. “Here, we can use the last piece we cut off that wooden dowel. We can just hang it from the ceiling of the cage with two pieces of this twine.”

“Okay!”

Rusty carried the cockatiel gymnasium and dad carried the pieces for the swing. Back in Rusty’s bedroom, they found the bird had not moved. Adam was still hiding at the edge of the cage, away from the humans. Rusty opened the big cage door, set the jungle gym inside, and wired it to the side of the cage. Meanwhile, Dad was tying the swing strings to the top of the cage frame. They finished about the same time and then stepped back to look.

“That looks good,” Rusty said.

“Not bad for making it ourselves,” Dad said. “And it was a lot cheaper than the ones they have at the pet shop.”

Rusty knelt down by the cage. “Adam. Hey, little guy, can you come over and play? Look at all this fun stuff.” He whistled quietly. “Lookie at the swing my dad made. Do you like to swing? Do you like ladders or slides?”

The bird just sat on his perch and glanced up at Rusty every now and then.

Rusty stood up and sighed. “Well, do you think he will ever know I want to be his friend?”

“Give it time, Rusty,” Dad said, putting his hand on his shoulder.

“I wish I could become a cockatiel and go in there and explain to him who I am and that I am trying to help him.”

Dad smiled, “That would make things easier.”

“Too bad it is impossible. I sure wish I was a bird right now.”

Misty showed up in the doorway to the room with something in her hand. “Hey, Mom and I have been reading up on your pet, Rusty. I think we have something that will make him feel right at home.”

Find out what happens next time.

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Let’s Discuss it:

 

Why did Rusty want to become a cockatiel?

God is so big, powerful, and invisible. Do you think people try to get away from God the way Rusty’s pet bird did from him?

If God loves us more than Rusty loves his pet bird, do you think He has tried various ways of getting our attention?

What has God used to communicate with us?

Creation (Romans 1:20), the prophets, answered prayer, miracles, and finally in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1).

How did God become one of us?

In His Son, the man Christ Jesus (II Corinthians 5:19; I Timothy 2:5).

Why did He do this?

To let us know how much He loves us. To take away our sins on the cross.

Did God come in Christ just to live in our “cage” with us, or did He have a bigger plan?

He came to get us out of our cage and give us eternal life with Him.

Are you acting like Rusty’s bird, or are you coming closer and closer to Jesus?

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Need more shop time with your son or daughter? Get unlimited ideas when you download this wood-working guide with over 16,000 designs and ideas.

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Read God’s Word together:

 

Look Again, Who Do You See?

John 14:1-31 (NKJV)

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”

Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

“A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.

“And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.

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Now discuss it:

What didn’t Philip understand about Jesus? (Reread that part of the passage.)

That to see Jesus was to see the Father (14:9).

Beyond just being with them in person, what did Jesus promise them in 14:16?

The Helper will live with us forever.

Who is this Helper (Counselor, Comforter)?

God’s Spirit.

In John 14:17, Jesus said the Spirit of Truth lived with them, but would soon be inside them. How?

The Spirit of God lived inside Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:9), so God’s Spirit was with them. But in less than two months, they were going to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Then the Spirit would be inside them.

What did Jesus say in John 14:18 that lets us know this is not some other Spirit, but the Spirit of Christ Himself who would dwell inside believers?

He said, I will not leave you, but I will come.

He makes this clear in John 14:20. What does this verse mean?

Once they received the Spirit of Truth they would understand His true identity. They would know that Christ was the physical image of the Father (Colossians 1:15, 19) and that the Spirit of the Father inside them was the Spirit of Christ Himself.

What did Jesus say the work of the Spirit would be, in John 14:26?

Again, He emphasizes that they will understand all of this clearly, later. Right now, He is speaking to them in riddles (see 16:25).

 

You may have family members, Dad, who do not get all of this. If they have the Holy Ghost, have them ask the Lord to open their understanding (Ephesians 1:17-23). If they have not yet received the Spirit, start there. (See the Devotions with Dad issue called “The Special Gift.”)

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Memorize the message:

I Timothy 2:5

For there is one God,

and one mediator between God and men,

the man Christ Jesus;

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