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Going to church does not make a person religious, nor does going to school make a person educated, any more than going to a garage makes a person a car. Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast - as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore, let us keep the festival, not with the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread made without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth. --1 Corinthians 5:6-8 In the past, we were always careful to choose what the kids could see and hear. Now Ian is out in the world more than in the relative safety of our home. He needs to be able to make the right decisions out of his own conviction rather than his desire to keep from disappointing us. This devotional illustrates how rapidly small influences can pollute the whole body. Focus on how tiny the yeast is and how such a small amount causes a big effect. What you will need: 1 package of active dry yeast 3-4 cups of all purpose flour 1 Tablespoon sugar 1¼ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon shortening, butter, or margarine 1¼ cups very warm water (105º F) Read the passage together and tell the children that you are making homemade bread tonight! Open the yeast and pour it into a small bowl. Point out how small the granules are. Mix half of the flour with the rest of the dry ingredients. Pour the yeast on top of the dry ingredients showing how little the amount of yeast is compared to the flour. Let the children mix the yeast well into the flour. Add the shortening and mix well. If you don't have a meat thermometer, the temperature of the water is right when you start to feel like it is too hot running over your finger. Add the water and mix until the dough is sticky. Add more flour, one half cup at a time until the dough is workable without sticking to your hands (you may not need all the flour). Knead the dough on a floured table or counter top. You are done if it bounces back when pressed lightly with your finger, about ten minutes. Coat the bowl lightly with a cooking spray and put the dough back. Cover with a towel or sheet and let rise for one hour. While the dough is rising, you can discuss the meaning of passage. What do you think is a "yeast" in your life? How can you tell if you are "rising" under the influence of the world? Do not settle for one word answers, you have an hour to talk! We find that music and TV are especially hard for us to overcome. Acidic relationships in sitcoms may be funny but sarcasm is painful and leaves scars that may not show up for quite some time. You don't lose your conviction all at once, it takes time and neglect. If you are not focused on building your conviction, you can rest assured that Satan is tearing them down! Tracey sat down with the boys and went through the lyrics of a popular song recently. When everything was said plainly, Ian took a moment then decided to change the station if that song ever comes on again. He will not listen to it! I remember that she was surprised to find out the lyrics to another song, one that we own and were listening to every day. Do you pay attention to what the songs are saying? Think about how much of an influence this thoughtlessness has on your daily life and the life of your children. Take this time to examine the words of your children's favorite song. Discuss the meaning and the effect it is having. When the hour is up, look at the dough. See how great an impact the little bit of yeast has! To finish the bread, punch the dough down, that's right, plunge your hand into the dough. Let it sit for five minutes. Turn it out into a loaf pan. If you don't have a loaf pan, you can lay it on a cookie sheet in a mound. Cover with a towel or heavy sheet. Let rise for thirty more minutes. Bake at 425º F for twenty-five to thirty minutes, twenty minutes if you put it on a cookie sheet. Enjoy the benefits of having a great family night!