PRAY FIRST A PERSONAL PRAYER GUIDE

Transcription

1 PRAY FIRST A PERSONAL PRAYER GUIDE

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3 TABLE OF CONTENTS A NOTE FROM PASTOR DANIEL 4 LIFESTYLE PRAYER 5 21 DAYS OF PRAYER DEVOTIONAL 7 LEADERSHIP 53 MY PRAYER JOURNAL 56 3

4 Dear Reader, It has been said that nothing of eternal significance happens apart from prayer. It is prayer that connects our heart to the heart of God and moves His hand in our life. Understanding the necessity of prayer is not enough. In order for it to become a part of our life, it needs to become something we look forward to doing. I m convinced that most people don t enjoy prayer because they have never been taught how to pray. That s where this simple prayer journal can help. Using several prayer models out of the Bible and having a guide to make prayer more personal, this booklet is designed to bring joy into your time with God. When you discover the beauty of daily conversation with Him, you ll experience the presence of God that will change your life. Let prayer be your first response, not your last resort. Prayer changes everything! Pastor Daniel Floyd 4

5 LIFESTYLE PRAYER

6 LIFESTYLE PRAYER How do we make prayer a part of our everyday life? We can learn from three things that Jesus did Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35) A CERTAIN TIME Jesus got up very early in the morning to spend time with His Heavenly Father. In order for prayer to work, we should do the same. Make a daily appointment with God and keep it. A CERTAIN PLACE Jesus had a prayer place. Your prayer place needs to be an undistracted environment where you can pray out loud and perhaps have some worship music playing in the background. A CERTAIN PLAN Go into your prayer time with a plan. If it changes, that s fine. When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, He gave them a prayer outline. We call it the Lord s Prayer. Read Matthew 6:

7 21 DAYS OF PRAYER

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9 A LETTER TO PARENTS Parents, we ve provided some kid-friendly additions to the daily devotional. The content is similar to yours, written in a more understandable way. We encourage you to review the material before sitting down with your kids and doing the devotional with them. This is a great opportunity to build the joy of talking regularly with God into the rhythm of your family life. The Kidspoint Team 9

10 DAY 1 Read: Psalm 103 DEVOTIONAL Have you ever been in a place where you find it hard to praise God for anything? Nothing is going the way you hoped or planned. We wonder where the goodness, compassion, healing, help, or refuge that we expected from God has gone. We are not alone. Many people in the Bible were in this same place: Moses, David, Abraham, and the disciples. In Psalm 103, David reminds us that even in a season when our lives seem to be in constant turmoil, there are many things for which we can praise God. He forgives our sins, rescues us from the pit of hopelessness, and shows us great compassion and love. Praising God is remembering all He has done. PRAYER SUGGESTIONS Make a list of some of the things God has done for you just this week. Add to your list daily. It can be as simple as, I woke up this morning. Pray those back to God in gratitude. Bookmark Psalm 103 so that the next time life tries to extinguish your praise, you can be reminded of God s great deeds on your behalf. Pray the word of this Psalm back to God. 10

11 I will praise the Lord. Deep down inside me, I will praise Him. I will praise Him, because His name is holy... The Lord is tender and kind. He is gracious. He is slow to get angry. He is full of love. (Psalm 103:1,8, NIrV) WITH OLDER KIDS Help your child understand today that God is worthy of praise simply because He is Lord. Challenge your child to make a list of some characteristics of God and then pray, thanking Him for being those things. To help get your child started, some examples you could give him or her are: God is strong, God is never-changing, God forgives us, God loves us no matter what, God is trustworthy, etc. WITH YOUNGER KIDS Pray with or over your little one today, reminding them of who God is and praising Him for His holiness and character. Ask that God would help your child to grow up trusting in Him, and that he or she would choose to follow Him at an early age because of who He is. 11

12 DAY 2 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4) DEVOTIONAL According to this passage, our first responsibility in prayer is to ask God to help our government leaders national, state and local to create through their decisions, a peaceful and quiet life for us. Praying for authorities is pleasing to God and is a good work we do for Him. As we partner with God s expressed purpose, may our leaders be moved to act on our behalf to allow us to live in such a way that people will be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. PRAYER SUGGESTIONS Lord, I ask that you bless and protect the leaders of our country and leaders around the world. Please give them guidance and insight for decisions that produce a peaceful and quiet life for us and an atmosphere conducive to the salvation of many. 12

13 WITH OLDER KIDS First, I want you to pray for all people. Ask God to help and bless them. Give thanks for them. Pray for kings. Pray for everyone who is in authority. (1 Timothy 2:1-2a, NIrV) The Bible tells us that we should pray for everyone in authority. Today, ask your child to think of a few people who are in charge of them it could be a teacher, a coach, even you! Remind your child that being in charge can be hard sometimes, and it s a big responsibility. Then, have him or her pray that God would help and bless those people, and remind him or her to thank God for them as well! WITH YOUNGER KIDS Pray for the people who are currently or will one day be in authority over your child. Ask God to give them wisdom, understanding, patience, and kindness. Also, ask God to help your child learn to submit to authority and always be safe in the care of those people. 13

14 DAY 3 So, rebel-kings, use your heads; Upstart-judges, learn your lesson: Worship God in adoring embrace, Celebrate in trembling awe. Kiss Messiah! Your very lives are in danger, you know; His anger is about to explode, But if you make a run for God you won t regret it! (Psalm 2:10-12 MSG) DEVOTIONAL In the Lord s hand the king s heart is a stream of water that He channels toward all who please Him. (Proverbs 21:1) Do you sometimes see news that disturbs you? Do the nations on earth seem to be losing their bearings? God predicted this would happen and reminds us things will change when those leaders run to God. Today we get to pray for national leaders around the globe, inviting God to channel their hearts toward believers in every nation and to draw them to Himself. PRAYER SUGGESTIONS God, thank You for being the King of all kings and for shaping the hearts of kings toward the people who please You. Today, my heart is drawn to [country]. I ask that You would turn the heart of [country s] ruler to do the right things for your people in [country]. 14

15 A nation falls where there is no wise leading, but it is safe where there are many wise men who know what to do. (Proverbs 11:14, NLV) WITH OLDER & YOUNGER KIDS People in leadership need God s wisdom in order to make good decisions for those they are leading. Pray with your child, or encourage your older child to pray on his or her own, for the top leaders of the world the presidents, kings and queens, prime ministers, and others that rule over a country. Remind your child that every leader deserves our prayers and our respect. God can improve a country by improving its leader! 15

16 DAY 4 Read: Psalm 18 DEVOTIONAL As you read this Psalm, whom did you imagine David s enemy to be? The vast armies that came against Israel or maybe even his own men, because they were unhappy with a decision he had made? Let us challenge our thinking and look at this Psalm from an Ephesians 6:12 perspective. In Ephesians, Paul tells us we are not fighting against flesh and blood, but evil spiritual forces of the heavenly realm. Read the Psalm again, but this time read it as though you are the writer. You are the one under attack. You call out to God. He hears your voice. Do you feel the earth tremble? Can you hear the thunder? Victory is close at hand. The great I AM is close at hand. Call out and He will come! PRAYER SUGGESTIONS What troubles have coiled around you? Close your eyes and imagine God, riding on the cherubim, coming to your rescue! Thank Him for rescuing you and ask Him to show you where He is in this day for you. 16

17 God s way is perfect. The Lord s Word doesn t have any flaws. He is like a shield to all who go to Him for safety. (Psalm 18:30, NIrV) WITH OLDER KIDS Just like the verse today says, God s way is perfect! Have your child think of a hard situation in his or her life right now and then let him or her read this verse again. We can trust God no matter what, and we can go to Him for physical and emotional protection in the middle of hard times. Guide your child to pray over any situation in which they need to trust God or ask Him for protection. WITH YOUNGER KIDS Speak words of truth over your child today by praying out loud and reminding him or her (and yourself) that God is in control. Ask for His protection over your little one s life and that His perfect plan would come to fruition. Pray that your child would always know that he or she can trust God no matter what. 17

18 DEVOTIONAL DAY 5 He says, Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. (Psalm 46:10) Who do you know that s not busy? Busyness is almost a badge of honor these days. Being still goes against everything we do naturally and culturally, but God s word tells us to be still. When we withdraw from our busy lives to spend time with God, we find ourselves enjoying the reality of His presence. While we are not called by God to be lazy, neither are we called to a life of non-stop activity and service. God s invitation to be still unlocks for us the joy of knowing Him. PRAYER SUGGESTIONS Lord, being still when there is so much to do seems impossible, but Your ways are not my ways. Help me to relax in Your presence, to breathe deep, to be still, and pause to hear You. 18

19 WITH OLDER KIDS Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10, NIrV) Explain to your child what it means to be still in God s presence to relax, get away from distractions, and just sit quietly and try to listen to Him. Hearing God can happen through reading the Bible, talking to people who follow Him, and even by feeling in your heart that He is telling you something. Have your child practice doing this today and then follow-up by asking him or her if they felt God s presence in their heart. WITH YOUNGER KIDS Spend a few minutes being still in God s presence as you seek His guidance and direction for how you can best raise your child and point him or her towards Jesus. Write down anything the Lord speaks to you and how you will act on it. 19

20 DAY 6 Read: Psalm 46:10 DEVOTIONAL When a thunderstorm is raging, we look for a safe place to find shelter. A mother bird will gather her young under her wings and provide that shelter while taking the beating of the storm on herself. When the fears and dangers of this life begin to storm around us, would it not be wise to seek shelter? Our heavenly Father desires to gather us under His protective wings to provide that shelter and refuge, all the while He is taking on the beating of the storm Himself. How comforting to know that God watches over us in times of great stress and fear. He will even command the angels to guard our steps. Verses are a promise in God s words for those who love Him: I will rescue him: I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation. PRAYER SUGGESTIONS Read verses again. This time put in your name wherever you see the word him/he. What comfort does it bring to know that God will come to your rescue? 20

21 The Lord says: I will save the one who loves me. I will keep him safe because He trusts in me. (Psalm 91:14, NIrV) WITH OLDER & YOUNGER KIDS We all have fears and worries, but this verse reminds us that we can trust God because He will keep us safe. Ask your child to write down or tell you a list of things that scare or worry them, and then pray together that God would keep him or her safe in all of these situations. 21

22 DAY 7 Read: Psalms 119: DEVOTIONAL Every day millions of people board airplanes and travel safely, crossing oceans, time zones, and countries. Most of us do not have detailed knowledge of Da Vinci s theory of flight or formulas involving velocity and trajectory, nor can we actually see these elements at work. While some of us board planes with complete confidence that the pilot and crew are well trained and are in control, others spend flights with white knuckles and fear, exhaling only at touchdown. In these verses, David recognizes God s promises and his safety being assured as he lives within God s word. When it comes to trusting God s promises to sustain and uphold you, are you a confident passenger or a white-knuckle flier? PRAYER SUGGESTIONS Lord, I ask that you give me the faith to believe all the promises You have for me. Please give me courage to trust that You are the one in control and I need only to live according to Your promises and You will uphold me. 22

23 WITH OLDER KIDS...Since God is on our side, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31, NIrV) God promises all sorts of things in the Bible. We know that He will never leave us, He has a good plan for us, and that He will give us strength when we need it. This verse even says that when God is on our side, nothing can stand in our way! Tell your child that today you want him or her to pray for more faith in God s promises. You might even make a list together of some promises in God s word and thank Him for those things. WITH YOUNGER KIDS Pray with or over your little one today that in all situations he or she would have faith that God is in control. Ask God to use the good times and the hard times to increase your child s faith in Him. 23

24 DEVOTIONAL DAY 8 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (John 15:7 ESV) The Greek meaning for the word abide is to stay closely connected, not be separated, joined together. When we abide in Christ, our desires change, so our requests change, too. We won t come with a list of what we want Him to do for us, but we will seek His heart and desires for our lives. Our prayers will be influenced and directed by God s word and will. We will find ourselves praying for what He wants and that is what ensures our prayers are answered. We will be seeking His will and not ours because we are connected to Him. PRAYER SUGGESTIONS Give me the understanding of Your love that I need to abide in You, Lord. Help me be aligned with Your will and purposes. Teach me what it means to stay closely connected to You and open my eyes to see You as I ve never seen You before. In Jesus name, Amen. 24

25 WITH OLDER KIDS I am the vine. You are the branches. If you remain joined to me, and I to you, you will bear a lot of fruit. (John 15:5, NIrV) Ask your child if he or she thinks an apple tree branch could make apples if it wasn t connected to the tree...it couldn t. Explain that it s the same with God. We have to stay connected to Him, by reading the Bible and praying, for example, in order to live a life that is full of fruits like peace, joy, patience, and kindness. Today, encourage your child to pray for the fruits (character traits, who they want to be) he or she wants God to help produce in their own life. WITH YOUNGER KIDS Make a list of the fruits you would like to see in your child who do you want him or her to grow up to be? Next, pray that through staying connected to God, these fruits would be produced as your child grows. 25

26 DAY 9 Read: Acts 4:24-30 DEVOTIONAL We are living in times of uncertainty and turmoil all around the world. Nations are raging and people are plotting. There are wars and threats of violence that leave many of us fearful of the future. Today, just as in these passages, we still see people conspiring against Jesus and His followers. We see people willing to kill those who profess their faith in Christ. This may intimidate us from talking about our faith with others. We never have to be afraid to obey God. When we act according to His instruction, He is with us, giving us the words to say and the strength to handle the response. Our role as God s servants is to speak His word with great boldness. Ultimately, the most important matter is that we represent Him well by loving people in our words and actions. PRAYER SUGGESTIONS Lord, help me not to fear the uncertainty in the world. Help me to remember that there are no surprises to you. Help me to be bold in speaking Your word. I know that your desire is for all to come to know You, no matter which side we may be on. I pray that those who seek to harm in the name of their gods will come to know the One True God. 26

27 WITH OLDER KIDS The leaders saw how bold Peter and John were... (Acts 4:14, NIrV) Encourage your child to read this whole story in the Bible (Acts 4:1-20) and then pray that God would help them have the same boldness and courage that Peter and John did. Help him or her remember that standing up for God is always the right thing to do, even when it s hard. WITH YOUNGER KIDS There will be friends in your child s life that don t believe in God or that don t act the way He would want them to. Pray that the Lord would give your little one courage and boldness in those relationships, to stand up for Him and to be a light to those around them. 27

28 DAY 10 Read: Ephesians 1:16-23 DEVOTIONAL When was the last time you felt powerless? Okay, let s get real, when was the last time you felt powerless today? While we often waste our limited energy worrying over things we could never change anyway, it is often the heartbreaking reality of a sick child, a wayward teenager, a broken marriage, or choices we ve made in the past, which can undermine our faith and strength to face another day. This verse reminds us that, as Christ followers, we have hope. And this hope does not disappoint because it is placed in God who has the power to raise Christ Jesus from the dead. That same power is your inheritance as a child of God! This power is available to us the moment we believe. Whatever situations you face today, ask God for wisdom and revelation so that you know that God is with you and God is for you. PRAYER SUGGESTIONS Lord, I feel so powerless about. I believe that Your word is true and that I am Your child. Thank You that you will never leave me nor forsake me and that whatever I face today I don t have to face it alone, because You will be with me every step of the way. 28

29 If any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He will give it to you. (James 1:5, NIrV) WITH OLDER & YOUNGER KIDS Wisdom is knowledge from God that helps us make the right choices. Pray together that God would give you wisdom in all situations. With your older children, you could pray over them and then ask them to pray over you. 29

30 DAY 11 Read: Ephesians 3:14-19 DEVOTIONAL A song from a few years ago had the lyric, You don t know you re beautiful, that s what makes you beautiful. This reflects the popular, but not necessarily accurate notion that it s attractive to be modest and selfdeprecating. But how beautiful would it be if we truly knew, to the depths of our souls, how dearly beloved we are by God? God, who made heaven and earth, who moved heaven and earth to make sure that we would live fully alive in His love both now and forever, loves us and adores us. Think about it. Take this verse in and discover what knowing this love that surpasses knowledge means for you. Do you know that you are beautiful in God s eyes? What does that feel like? Take this amazing truth into your spirit today and every day. If anything hinders you from fully applying this truth to yourself today, take a few moments to consider what event, thought, or circumstance may be blocking you and then consider the source. It is not from God. Speak the above verses over your life until you can fully accept, appreciate, and apply them to your life in every possible way. PRAYER SUGGESTIONS Personalize these verses by changing the words you and your to me, I and my, and offer this as a prayer several times throughout the day. For example, I pray that out of his glorious riches He may strengthen me with power through His Spirit in my inner being, so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith 30

31 I pray that you will be able to understand how wide and how long and how high and how deep His love is. I pray that you will know the love of Christ. His love goes beyond anything we can understand. (Ephesians 3:18-19, NLV) WITH OLDER & YOUNGER KIDS Ask your child, What is the biggest thing you could imagine? Maybe it s a blue whale, a huge building, or the whole world. Whatever he or she says, remind them that God s love is even bigger than that! Pray together, thanking God for how BIG His love is for us. 31

32 DEVOTIONAL DAY 12 God is able to do far more than we could ever ask or imagine. He does everything by His power that is working in us...give Him glory through all time and for ever and ever. (Ephesians 3:20-21) Use the following breakdown of this verse as a basis for your prayer time today. Now to Him begin with acknowledging that God is God. Who is able God can do all things; nothing is impossible with God (Matthew 19:26). To do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine God sees the end from the beginning and knows the deepest desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:3-5). As we trust His hand and His heart He will lead us into more than we could even think to ask Him for. According to His power that is at work within us God works in and through believers as we trust in His promises and follow His word (Ephesians 2:10). To Him be glory in the church God gets the glory as His church leans on Him and not on our own limited strength and understanding as he works out all things together for our good (Proverbs 3: 5-6; Romans 8:28). Review the whole scripture. 32

33 PRAYER SUGGESTIONS This is also a great way to memorize scripture. What a powerful way to begin and end your prayer time by praying God s word back to Him! Pray this verse back to God, phrase by phrase, pausing to take in the power of each line. WITH OLDER KIDS Today, encourage your child to ask God for anything he or she needs help with a math test, wisdom about a friend at school, encouragement in an area he or she feels notgood-enough. Have your child read this verse and thank God that we know He hears us and will provide anything we need according to His great plan for our lives. WITH YOUNGER KIDS Lay hands on your child and pray over him or her that God s power would manifest in their life. Ask that God would fill him or her with faith and confidence in Him, and that he or she would one day experience the transformative power of the Holy Spirit working in their life. 33

34 DAY 13 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11) DEVOTIONAL Often the best way to influence someone is to pray for him or her. Paul s prayer for the Philippians was that they would be unified in love. Their love was the result of a greater knowledge of Christ. It wasn t based on feelings, but on what Christ had done for them. Paul s prayer shows us not only how we should be living, but also how we should be praying for other Christians. Paul prayed that the Philippian believers would discern what is best, meaning that they would have the ability to differentiate between good and bad, and right and wrong because of their closeness to Christ. We should pray for discernment to help maintain our Christian morals and values. This prayer was that the Philippians (and us) would be filled with all the character traits flowing from the righteousness of God. PRAYER SUGGESTIONS Help me to grow in love and knowledge and to discern what is right and wrong, Jesus. Help me bear the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23 which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. In Your name I pray. Amen. 34

35 WITH OLDER KIDS I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy. (Philippians 1:3-4, NIrV) Have your child think of and thank God for people in his or her life. It might be helpful to encourage them to make a list and simply read through the list saying, Thank you God for because. Also, remind him or her to pray for anything going on in each person s life for which they could use God s help (an illness, a struggle, or even just wisdom). WITH YOUNGER KIDS If your child is old enough, have them say a simple prayer for the people in your family, his or her friends or teachers, and anyone else they can think of. Dear God, thank you for. You can also pray and thank God for all the people that have influence in your child s life and are helping to shape him or her in to who they will become. 35

36 DAY 14 Read: Colossians 1:9-14 DEVOTIONAL Knowledge is just a button push away. You can Google anything you want to learn. As a society, we sometimes believe that the more formal schooling you have, the further you can go in life. That is what the Colossians believed. They valued the gaining of knowledge above all else. Yes, knowledge is wonderful. I praise God for doctors, but with the same exuberance I praise Him for the auto-mechanic. While their formal training and years of schooling are vastly different, they both have knowledge that benefits my life. Therein lies the truth. Are we gaining knowledge just for the sake of knowledge alone, or are we gaining knowledge that leads to living life fully alive? Is your knowledge of God as strong as the knowledge required to do your job? Has what you know about God s character spurred your desire to help others? Our prayers this month are just the beginning of putting our spiritual knowledge into action. PRAYER SUGGESTIONS Help me to put my knowledge of you, Lord, into action. I know I can trust your commands. Help teach me knowledge, good judgment, and strengthen me so that I have endurance to do Your work. Thank you for the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide me in this path. Show me opportunities to act. In all things, remind me to have a joy-filled spirit and give thanks back to You, for all that You have done for me. 36

37 Then your lives will please the Lord. You will do every kind of good work, and you will know more about God. I pray that God s great power will make you strong, and that you will have joy as you wait and do not give up. (Colossians 1:10-11, NLV) WITH OLDER AND YOUNGER KIDS Pray with or over your child today. We know that we can pray God s Word because He will be faithful to His promises, so do just that. Ask God to help your child make decisions that please Him, do good works, know more about Him, have His power, and be full of joy in all circumstances. Pray that, through knowing God, your child s daily life and choices will be impacted because of the wisdom He gives. 37

38 DEVOTIONAL DAY 15 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2) Devoted, watchful, and thankful are great words to ponder when I start trying to over-complicate my time with Jesus. These words challenge me. How about you? Being devoted to prayer means that you are not forgetful. It means you take steps to see that prayer is part of your regular life, the same way eating and sleeping are. I know I don t need to be reminded to eat or sleep! To be watchful means that I need to fight distractions and hindrances. I need to do whatever I have to do to stay awake and focused. Prayer should also include thankfulness, thanking God for what He has done. When our hearts are thankful, our eyes turn from our problems and ourselves to the Lord. PRAYER SUGGESTIONS Father God, empower me to stay devoted to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Help me pray more confident prayers that can only happen through Your power. In Jesus name, Amen. 38

39 WITH OLDER KIDS Give a lot of time and effort to prayer. (Colossians 4:2, NIrV) Ask your child to think of the things he or she spends the most time doing each day maybe sleeping, doing homework, or playing video games. Now, read the verse above together. Challenge your child that today, each time he or she does one of those activities, they should pray first. The prayer doesn t have to be about the activity, it can be anything they want to talk to God about or thank Him for. WITH YOUNGER KIDS Today, be mindful to pray for your little one throughout the day. God s Word instructs us to be devoted to prayer; so, be devoted to praying over your child s future regularly. 39

40 40 DAY 16 Now may our God and Father himself and our LORD Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the LORD make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our LORD Jesus comes with all his holy ones. (1 Thessalonians 3:11-13) DEVOTIONAL Are there some people in your daily life who are easy to love? They just seem to exude positivity, and make you smile without even trying. Showing them love is effortless, and they return it equally. But is the opposite also true? That you encounter people daily who seem to cast off any attempts you make to show love or affection? Are there people in your world that you would rather not be around because they seem to bring the mood down? Paul s prayer helps us remember that we can pray for God to strengthen our ability to love so that we can love each other. Loving is not always easy, but it is always worth the effort. Love has the power to change, and God has the power to give us a strength of heart to love at all times. PRAYER SUGGESTION Heavenly Father, thank you for always loving me, and for showing me the power of unconditional love. Please help me to remember to show love to others, so that they will come to know You. Help me to love all those I encounter, not only those who are quick to return it back. Love is not something that must be earned, but something that is freely given. Please strengthen my heart so that I will show love at all times, to all people.

41 Love one another. You must love one another, just as I have loved you. (John 13:34, NIrV) WITH OLDER KIDS Talk together about how God showed His love for us when He sent Jesus to die for our sins. Pray, thanking Him for that. Next, remind your child that God wants us to love other people on the same level - He wants us to be willing to give up what we want for the benefit of others. See if your child can think of one way he or she can show love, through sacrifice, to someone this week. Then have him or her ask God to give them the commitment to do it! WITH YOUNGER KIDS Pray that at an early age your child would understand the enormity of God s love for him or her and would make the personal decision to accept Jesus as their Savior. Then, ask that God would give them a heart that loves others deeply and is His light in this world. 41

42 DEVOTIONAL 42 DAY 17 Pray continually. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Easy to say; hard to do. That is, depending on what your idea of prayer might be. If this simple instruction brings up images of kneeling at your bedside, eyes closed, hands pressed together, then to pray continually seems to be an impossible expectation. But is it? When one considers that prayer is simply having a conversation with God, this instruction makes a little more sense. Viewing prayer as simply talking with God allows us to see how we can attempt to follow this verse. Just talk to God throughout your day about anything and everything. Preferably, talk to Him out loud as often as is practical. The Holy Spirit is with us always. Acknowledge God s presence and include Him in all that you experience. You can even extend this continual prayer throughout the night by inviting God into your sleep (Psalm 16:7). When you awake, thank Him before your feet touch the floor. Since prayer is a conversation, take time to listen by being still, reading His word, and learning to hear His voice. PRAYER SUGGESTIONS When you wake up, before your feet even swing out of bed, begin the morning by greeting God and thanking Him for the breath in your lungs and the new day. Spend five minutes in prayer before you get out of bed. Check in with God throughout the day, making an effort to make this a habit. Thank Him for little blessings throughout your day. End your day with time with God. Recap moments when you know you have seen His presence, and thank Him for it.

43 Never stop praying. (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NIrV) WITH OLDER KIDS Help your child understand that prayer doesn t always come in the form of a bowed head and closed eyes. See if he or she can think of a creative way to pray today some suggestions could be writing in a journal, drawing a picture of something you want to thank God for, singing praises to Him with worship music, or even just asking Him to be with you as you go about your day and stopping to think of Him often. WITH YOUNGER KIDS Model for your child what it means and looks like to never stop praying. Invite God in to each part of your day, stopping occasionally to pray out loud, or play worship music as you drive to and from the grocery store. Ask that God would help your prayer life and time with Him be a good example to your little one. 43

44 DAY 18 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21) DEVOTIONAL In the verses right before these (13:18-19), the author of Hebrews acknowledges his needs by asking his readers for prayer. He then returns the favor by praying for his readers. He conveys that God has provided everything for our salvation through Jesus Christ and through Him all that we need to live for His glory is provided. God has promised to do everything in these two verses, yet the author prays that it would be so. God has ordained that prayer is the way for us to lay hold of His promises. Sometimes we struggle with how to pray. Pray God s word back to Him. When we pray God s word back to Him, He must honor it. True to His character, He cannot go back and will not go back on His word. PRAYER SUGGESTIONS Lord, you are a God of peace. Thank you for that. Through Jesus you have provided salvation and all I need to live for your glory. It s in the name of Jesus I pray. Amen. 44

45 I can do all things because Christ gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13, NLV) WITH OLDER & YOUNGER KIDS Encourage your child by reading this verse together and reminding him or her that they ll be able to do anything God asks them to do because He will give them strength. Pray with or over your child, thanking God for the good plan He has for your lives and for the fact that He will never leave you and will always give you the strength you need, in the good times and the hard times. 45

46 DEVOTIONAL DAY 19 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. (1 John 5:14) Have you ever had a toddler, or for that matter a teenager, come to you and in a very demanding tone, ask for something? In your heart, you want to give them all they desire, but sometimes what they are asking for would not be wise for them to have. They either just aren t ready for the responsibility, or it is something that would do more harm than good. At times we approach God our Father in the same way. We believe that if we ask, it will be given. It is almost as though we are trying to change God s mind, and have Him come to our side. We miss the part of asking according to His will. God always hears our prayers; we can be confident of that. That confidence should produce in us a boldness as we discuss with Him what He wants for us. When our prayers align with His will, He not only listens but He will answer. PRAYER SUGGESTIONS Lord, Your ways are higher than mine. Help me have a softened heart to your plan, understanding that if I submit to You, You will make my paths straight. Please help me to remember that You hear all my prayers. Help me to pray boldly knowing that all things will be answered in Your timing because You have a plan for me. 46

47 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. (1 John 5:14, NIV) WITH OLDER KIDS This verse can be a little complicated for kids to understand, so start with forgiveness. God promises that if we ask, He will forgive us (1 John 1:9). This means we can be confident in approaching Him to confess a sin and ask for forgiveness because it is His will. Encourage your child that in prayer today he or she should ask God for forgiveness over anything wrong they may have done. Remind him or her that God already knows everything, so He won t be surprised or angry He will forgive and love them no matter what! WITH YOUNGER KIDS Pray that your child will grow up with a good understanding of God s word and God s will. Pray that with this knowledge will come a boldness and deep level of trust in his or her relationship with the Lord. 47

48 DAY 20 Read: Revelation 8 & 11 DEVOTIONAL I remember when my daughter was young, and I would lavishly tell her how much I loved her. One day she asked me, Mommy, why do you love me so much? The question took me by surprise because I had never thought about my love for her in those terms. Because you re mine, was my answer. That didn t seem to satisfy her. Her face seemed to say, of course I m yours, but that doesn t answer why you love me. She wanted some concrete reasons. For some of us, we feel like we must have concrete reasons for God to love us. But, we don t. He loves us because He created us. But let s think about why we worship God. Is it only because of what He has done for us? Of course we should be grateful for His blessings and mercy, but we cannot forget to show honor for a holy God. These passages foretell of a heaven where creatures never stop declaring our God as holy. He is the one Creator and His creation was meant to display His glory. PRAYER SUGGESTIONS Lord, You alone are holy. You deserve my honor and praise. You created all things by Your will and I stand in awe of Your infinite authority and power. 48

49 You are worthy, our Lord and God! You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power. You are worthy because You created all things. (Revelation 4:11, NIrV) WITH OLDER & YOUNGER KIDS Today, model to your child what it looks like to worship God. As you pray, do so out loud in the presence of your child and simply praise God for being holy, good, all-knowing, wise, the Creator of all, and your Creator. Encourage your child to think of a few things he or she would like to worship God for as well. 49

50 DAY 21 In a loud voice they were saying: Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise! Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying: To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever! The four living creatures said, Amen, and the elders fell down and worshiped. (Revelation 5:12-14) DEVOTIONAL Have you ever looked back at a point in your life and realized you missed a great opportunity? A job you turned down? Maybe a relationship you walked away from? For most of us, we have made decisions that cannot be changed; it s too late and the opportunity has been missed. These verses tell us that every creature will realize Jesus is worthy of honor and glory and praise. Not just those who have accepted Him as their Savior, but every creature, those already in heaven and those left on earth. We are called to spread the message that Jesus is the way to heaven to everyone, so they can accept Him before this amazing day. PRAYER SUGGESTIONS Jesus, I know that you came to earth and died on the cross so that we all can have eternal life. I know it is Your desire that no one miss out on an eternity of praising and worshiping You. I ask for the boldness to share Your word and my story of what You have done for me. I know that You have saved me for a purpose and I ask for Your guidance in fulfilling this in my life. 50

51 WITH OLDER KIDS He said to them: You are to go to all the world and preach the Good News to every person. (Mark 16:15, NLV) In Kidspoint, we often remind your child that he or she can and should share the message of Jesus with others. Today, have them make a list of a few people they know that might not know the Good News about who Jesus is and what He did for them. Encourage your child to pray by name for those people and to ask God for the courage and opportunity to share His love with them. WITH YOUNGER KIDS First, pray that your child would know the Good News of Jesus and accept Him as his or her personal Savior at a young age. Then, ask God to give your little one the gift of teaching or preaching, or simply that they would always be a light in the way they live, so that he or she would one day lead others to Christ. 51

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53 LEADERSHIP

54 LEADERSHIP I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4) U.S. LEADERS President Donald J Trump Vice President Michael R Pence Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito, Jr., Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Niel Gorsuch, Elena Kagan, Anthony Kennedy, John Roberts, Sonia Sotomayor, & Clarence Thomas U.S. SENATORS Virginia Tim Kaine & Mark Warner U.S. REPRESENTATIVES Virginia Donald Beyer, David Brat, Barbara Comstock, Gerald Connolly, Thomas Garrett, Bob Goodlatte, Morgan Griffith, Donald McEachin, Robert Scott, Scott Taylor, & Robert Wittman COMMONWEALTH LEADERS Governor Terry R McAuliffe Lieutenant Governer Ralph S Northam Attorney General Mark R Herring Virginia General Assembly State Supreme Court and all courts in our Commonwealth 54

55 LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS Culpeper Mayor Michael Olinger Fredericksburg Mayor Mary Katherine Greenslaw King George Board of Supervisors Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors Stafford Board of Supervisors Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney CHURCH LEADERS Pastor Daniel & Tammie Floyd Executive Team Berchman Paul, Jeremy Pickwell, Becca Rowe, & Bethany Ufema Campus Staff Ministries Staff and Dream Teams Groups, Guest Services, Kidspoint, Outreach, Production, Students, & Worship 55

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