31 Days of Prayer for My Children E-Book

The Great Commandment Network

• Herausgeber: BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Serie: 31 Days of Prayer
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Seitenzahl: 134

Beschreibung

Jesus is praying for your children and He invites you to join Him! Recall an image of Jesus you've likely seen—Jesus, on His knees, praying. Imagine leaning in to listen to what He is praying and you hear Jesus speaking your child's name. Experience Jesus' heart for your children as you declare their freedom and passion to love the Lord and their family, claim Bible promises for your children's future, and intercede for your children's spiritual growth and witness. 31 Days of Prayer for My Children provides:  - True stories from mothers and fathers praying for their children to help you understand common challenges and opportunities for children. - A powerful, Scripture-based prayer strategy for your children to better love the Lord, live God's Word, love people, and live His mission. - Scriptures, prayers, and promises to declare over your children. - A practical resource for personal devotions, family studies, small groups, and parenting ministries. God has given you your children for a purpose. Support them through prayer and see the benefits in your own life.

Leseprobe

BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC

Savage, Minnesota, USA

BroadStreetPublishing.com

31 Days of Prayer for My Children

Copyright © 2018 Great Commandment Network

ISBN: 978-1-4245-5621-2 (softcover)

ISBN: 978-1-4245-5622-9 (e-book)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture is taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188, USA. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright © 2000; 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked MSG are from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. Scripture quotations marked TPT are from The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2014, 2015, 2016 by BroadStreet Publishing Group, Racine, Wisconsin. thePassionTranslation.com. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible, copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.

Stock or custom editions of BroadStreet Publishing titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, ministry, fundraising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail [email protected].

Cover design by Chris Garborg at garborgdesign.com

Interior by Katherine Lloyd at theDESKonline.com

Printed in the United States of America18 19 20 21 22 5 4 3 2 1

Contents

Introduction

Day 1:

Why Pray for My Children?

Day 2:

How to Pray for My Children

Day 3:

What to Pray for My Children

A Spirit-Empowered Disciple LOVES THE LORD

Day 4:

Closer to Him

Day 5:

Living Out Our Identity

Day 6:

An Attitude of Gratitude

Day 7:

Be a Bethany

Day 8:

A Student of My Child

Day 9:

Baseball and Boldness

Day 10:

Seeing God as He Really Is

A Spirit-Empowered Disciple LIVES THE WORD

Day 11:

Cheering for One Another

Day 12:

A Divine Commodity

Day 13:

Tears of Comfort

Day 14:

It’s Good for the Soul

Day 15:

Release Your Grip

Day 16:

Build Up

Day 17:

Designer Genes

A Spirit-Empowered Disciple LOVES PEOPLE

Day 18:

Stamp of Approval

Day 19:

Hugs and Kisses

Day 20:

Saying Thanks

Day 21:

Undivided Attention

Day 22:

Honor and Value

Day 23:

Share the Load

Day 24:

Home Security

A Spirit-Empowered Disciple LIVES HIS MISSION

Day 25:

Receive It, Then Share It

Day 26:

The Zacchaeus Principle

Day 27:

In Spite of Differences

Day 28:

Sharing Our Struggles

Day 29:

One of a Kind

Day 30:

The Art of the Question

Day 31:

Kindness Is Powerful

Appendix 1: About the Great Commandment Network

Appendix 2: A Spirit-Empowered Faith

Appendix 3: A Spirit-Empowered Disciple

Introduction

Parenting is one of the most rewarding relationships God has created. And yet, if we’re honest, many of us find that we don’t really know what being a father or mother looks like. We’ve had few role models or experiences that fill in the blanks. The good news is that when it comes to building relationships in our home, our heavenly Father has the blueprints. We may not always know how to parent our children, but He has the plan to guide us. We may not always feel secure in our parenting choices or know how to face the ever-changing challenges of our culture, but we can rest assured because Jesus is our Cornerstone.

In 31 Days of Prayer for My Children, you’ll find challenging, encouraging, and practical steps to call upon the Cornerstone. In guided prayer moments, you’ll be invited to have your own encounter with Jesus, where you’ll spend time reflecting on how He relates to you, and have an opportunity to respond to Him. These moments will be critical, because encounters with Jesus produce change. For instance, encountering the acceptance of Christ empowers acceptance of our children; encountering the loving initiative of Jesus prompts additional caring initiative in our homes.

In 31 Days of Prayer for My Children, you’ll also have the opportunity to experience the truth of God’s Word—times when you will actually do Bible verses—rather than just coming to know them or understand them. Doing God’s Word first ourselves and then with our children will produce some of the much-desired transformation in our homes.

Finally, we’ve designed 31 Days of Prayer for My Children for your enrichment, encouragement, and growth as a person—not only as a parent. As you spend time with Jesus, in His Word and doing His Book, your life will forever be changed.

May God richly bless your time with Jesus and your relationship with your children.

Terri Snead

Executive Editor, Great Commandment Network

The Great Commandment Network is an international collaborative network of strategic kingdom leaders from the faith community, marketplace, education, and caregiving fields who prioritize the powerful simplicity of the words of Jesus to love God, love others, and see others become His followers (see Matthew 22:37–40; 28:19–20).

Day 1

Why Pray for My Children?

Why is it important to dedicate the time or make it a priority to pray for your children? Setting aside thirty-one days to pray for your kids makes sense for many reasons. Here are just a few of them:

•As we pray for our children, we’re joining Jesus as He prays on their behalf.

Hebrews tells us that Jesus “lives forever to intercede with God on [our] behalf” (Hebrews 7:25). And the book of Romans reminds us that “he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us” (Romans 8:34). Don’t you imagine the Savior’s prayer list includes your children? When you pray, you have the privilege of joining Jesus in prayer for them.

•As we pray for our children, we’re joining Jesus in His celebrations.

In Christ’s last moments on earth, He revealed His loving desire for us: “that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full” (John 15:11 NASB). Jesus finds joy in your children and in your family. Since family is a special representation of Christ’s love, He feels a special joy when He sees families thriving. He loves when our relationships are a testimony to a hurting world. When you pray, you have the privilege of joining Jesus in a celebration of the beauty of family (see Psalm 127:3).

•As we pray for our children, we’re joining Jesus in His concern.

Raising children is hard at times. Jesus feels compassion for the struggles in your family and any challenges you or your children might be facing. His heart is moved with compassion when He sees you or your family hurting, disappointed, discouraged, or alone. So join Jesus in praying for your son or daughter, lifting up concerns and asking the Lord to give you a deeper understanding of your child’s heart. Praying for your children allows the Holy Spirit to help you see what He sees so you can love them the way Jesus loves (see 2 Corinthians 1:2–4).

•As we pray for our children, we strengthen our own walk with Jesus.

Spending time with our Savior deepens our closeness with Him. As you pray, the Spirit will minister to your heart, to your needs, and to your concerns. Parents, let’s pray for our children! Let’s pray often. Let’s pray consistently. Let’s pray boldly. Let’s pray faithfully (see Romans 8:26–27).

Take the next few moments and join Jesus in prayer.

Jesus, when I imagine that I can join you in prayer, my heart feels grateful because _________.

I want to join you in prayer for my children. First, I’m grateful for my children because _________.

I lift up my children to you and pray specifically that you would _________.

Day 2

How to Pray for My Children

This world—where the prince of darkness seeks to steal, kill, and destroy families—needs Christ followers who walk in the light (see John 10:10; 12:35 NASB). For the next thirty-one days, we encourage you to take a journey of walking in the light. During your times of prayer, you will walk in the light of God’s Son, God’s Word, and God’s people (see John 8:12; Matthew 5:14; Psalm 119:105).

As you take this journey, you will spend moments in personal prayer but also pray for your children. You’ll pray for your children to:

•encounter Jesus in fresh, new ways,

•live out the Bible frequently, and

•interact with people by demonstrating God’s love.

Let’s try one of your own fresh encounters with Jesus. As you read these words from the Savior, imagine that He’s speaking directly to you. Listen for His compassionate, strong voice. He’s thrilled to share these moments with you.

PRAY: LISTEN TO JESUS

The darkness of this world is all around you, and I don’t want your family to be overtaken. I have a plan. I have a plan for your protection, guidance, and strength. If you’ll spend time with me, my Word, and my people, darkness won’t have a chance in your family. As you encounter me, I will protect you, because I’m the Light of the World. Let my Word guide you and light your way. Let my people encourage you and give you strength. Walking in the light is the best place to be because that means we’re walking together (see John 8:12; Matthew 5:14; Psalm 119:105).

Now voice your personal prayer to Jesus:

Jesus, when I look at the darkness of this world, I feel especially concerned about ________.

Lord, I am grateful for your protection, guidance, and strength, particularly because _________.

Jesus, I also pray for my children. I pray they would come to know you and spend more time with you, your Word, and your people so darkness doesn’t have a chance in our home and in our family.

I pray you would protect my children from ________.

I pray you would guide my children in ________.

I pray you would strengthen my children in _________.

As you continue this journey of prayer, remember the goal: Your times of prayer can’t just be focused on training your children. These moments with Jesus and His Word are designed to first develop Christlikeness within you. The destination of your journey is a person, and His name is Jesus. As you spend time focused on getting to know Christ and experiencing more of His love, and as you spend time focused on living out His Word, not just reading or hearing it, you’ll become more like Him. This journey will change something—and hopefully it’s you.

You may be thinking: My children need to change in some areas. Our family needs to be stronger, closer, or different in certain ways. What can I do?

Here are a few things you can do:

Pray. Have your own encounters with Jesus, and see what changes He might want to make in you.

Live. Consistently live out God’s Word and do the Bible in your home. Watch His Word make a difference in your life and in the lives of your children.

Act. Use the ideas from this resource and take practical action steps. Take initiative to love your children in practical, relevant ways.

Pray, live, and act. Then watch the power of God’s Son, His Word, and His people make a difference in your children and in your family.

Day 3

What to Pray for My Children

This book is designed to foster a Spirit-empowered faith—a faith that is demonstrable, observable, and only possible with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. A framework for this kind of spiritual growth has been drawn from a cluster analysis of several Greek and Hebrew words that declare that Christ’s followers are to be equipped for works of service (see Ephesians 4:12). Therefore, in 31 Days of Prayer for My Children, you’ll find specific sections that are designed around four themes (see Appendix 3, page 125). A Spirit-empowered disciple

•Loves the Lord (see Luke 10:38–42). You will find seven days of prayer marked L1, L2, L3, L4, L7, L8, and L10.

•Lives the Word (see 2 Corinthians 3:2). You will find seven days of prayer marked W2.

•Loves People (see Ephesians 4:29). You will find seven days of prayer marked P3.

•Lives His Mission (see 1 Thessalonians 2:8). You will find seven days of prayer marked M1.

Our world needs families who live as Spirit-empowered disciples who are making disciples who, in turn, make disciples. Thus, 31 Days of Prayer for My Children rightly focuses on the powerful simplicity of

•loving God,

•living His Word,

•loving people, and

•living His mission.

After three days of prayer focused on why, how, and what to pray for your children, we will turn our attention to specific prayer themes. Before we focus on these thematic prayers, however, we invite you to live out God’s Word. God tells us that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us and grants our request (see 1 John 5:14–15). We know it’s His will for us to love our children well, so we can count on Him to grant this request.

Spend the next few moments in prayer. Make your request to God and look for how He gives to you. Jesus said, “If you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you” (John 16:23 NASB).

LIVE: DO THE BIBLE

God, I know it’s your will for me to love my children well, so I’m asking you to give me whatever I need to love the way you want me to love. If I need to change, show me. If I need to see things differently, I’m ready. I’m asking these things in your name, knowing that you’ll answer my prayer and give me what I ask for. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Day 4

Closer to Him

May we talk to and listen to God in prayer for our daily decisions and direction for life as a demonstration of our love for Him.

STORIES FROM A PARENT’S HEART

I struggled throughout my life with overwork. My wife and I argued about family priorities often; we were definitely in agreement about this challenge. My wife told me that I was way too preoccupied with things at the office. I tried to change, even shedding tears on many occasions over my compulsion to work and my tendency to neglect our family.