This week in addition to praying for your child, remember to tell your child how much you love them. I have added a prayer and a scripture verse for you to teach your child this week.  I encourage you to do this activity in the morning because it will help to set the course for the day for you and your child. In the beginning it may be difficult and your child may resist but don’t give up.  It is okay to pray with your child at any time of the day but be consistent.  Allocate 15 minutes each day and make every effort to do it at the same time each day and eliminate distractions such as phone, television, computers and any interruptions. The Lord will help you. The bible tells us to not weary in well doing and at the proper time we will reap a harvest.  There is nothing too hard for God and with faith and love we will overcome all the works of the enemy.

ACTIVITIES

Pray this prayer point over your child while he/she is awake. Say your child’s name and allow the Lord to lead you. Luke 2:52 – “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” 

Teach the following scripture to your child. Discuss it with your child and ask them what it means to them. Make it a song, write it and post it on the refrigerator or bathroom door. Make it fun. Luke 10:27 – “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.”

SCRIPTURE

1 John 4:10, 11 – “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” Definition of propitiation – signifies the removal of wrath by the offering of a gift.

PRAYER POINTS

• Thank you for the child you have given me.  Help me to love this child unconditionally the way you do and enable me to show it in a manner he/she can perceive.

• Reveal to me how I can demonstrate and model Your love to my child.

• Let my family members love and accept him/her, and may he/she find favor with other people as well. 

• Each day this child grows in the confidence of being loved and accepted, may he/she come to fully understand the depth of Your love for him/her and make them vessels through which your love flows to others.  In Jesus name, Amen!

 “ . . . Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.” –  Isaiah 49:23

Biblical scholars have found the book of Isaiah to be similar to the Bible in its structure. The book of Isaiah has 66 chapters and contains two divisions just like the Bible has 66 chapters and is divided into the Old and New Testaments. The first 39 chapters of Isaiah are comparable with the Old Testament in the Bible (39 books) in that it deals with God’s case against humans because of their sin. The end of the first section of Isaiah closes with prophesying about a coming King or Messiah.

       The second section or division in the book of Isaiah (chapters 40-66) opens with the “voice of Him that crieth in the wilderness” (Isaiah 40:3).  It is similar to the New Testament opening with John the Baptist announcing the arrival of Jesus as the “voice of one crying out in the wilderness” (John 1:6, 23) with the remainder of the New Testament concerned with the person and work of Jesus Christ. Further, the book of Isaiah ends with the vision of a new heaven and earth where righteousness perfectly dwells (Isaiah 62:1-2; 65:17; 66:22), and is similar to the New Testament that closes with that same vision (Revelation 21).

       The book of Isaiah contains two emphases. Isaiah the prophet, pictured Israel (the children of God) and a Savior that was to come to bear our sins and be exalted and glorified. We must understand that prophets were not popular in their day because they dealt with moral and religious conditions of their time, which were generally bad just like they are today.

      Prophets were called upon when a nation was out of sync with God and walked in disobedience.  We know that the truth is seldom unpopular with sinners but God tells us that we must give an account to Him when we do not listen to His prophets. Deuteronomy 18:18-19 says, “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.. . whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.”

       Just as the prophets of old were looking forward to future events, we are also doing the same thing today. God gave each generation abiding principles for all times. Just as the prophets foretold of the failure of the chosen people and the coming of the Messiah through whom God will bring to pass His purposes, some people, including religious leaders still refuse to believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah.  God’s Kingdom is yet to be established on earth. Throughout the Bible, we find stories about God’s ultimate triumphs. His plans shall continue to be fulfilled through Jesus’ victory at the cross and in the grave.

Romans 12:10

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love,

in honor giving preference to one another; (NKJV)

Love each other as Christian brothers. Show respect for each other. (NLV)

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. (NIV)

Oftentimes, Christian relationships fail due to a lack of understanding, not because of differences of opinion as many Christians tend to think.  If God’s children can get beyond their misunderstandings of others, it will be easier for Christian kindliness to flow.  Three main reasons for misunderstanding others are described below:

(1) Selfishness. As Paul spoke of “brotherly love,” he is telling us that as Christians, we should love others as we should love our natural brothers and sisters because Christians are one family in Christ. It doesn’t matter what our backgrounds are, or our nationality, occupation, education, wealth, hair color, skin color, etc. All of this is irrelevant and doesn’t matter to God as He doesn’t see any of it and therefore, we shouldn’t see it either.  When Paul said “honor and give preference to others above yourselves,” he was telling us that we shouldn’t wait for someone to recognize our contributions and give us praise, but we should recognize others’ contributions and praise them first.

(2) Fear.  Prejudice often results from a fear of what people are not willing to try to gain an understanding about. As humans, we tend to compare what we think we may know with what we don’t understand.  God gives us the option of opening our minds and growing, or rejecting new or different things, and therefore allowing our minds to remain the same and not grow.  We need to try to understand and accept others’ differences and viewpoints in order to build better Christian relationships.  

(3) Differences. It takes more than one color to make a rainbow and one musician to make an orchestra.  We need to take time to appreciate the differences in our Christian brothers and sisters and we will discover we all share the similar hopes and fears.  The most common problems of getting people to accept others’ differences are “gift envy” (comparing our talents with others and feeling inferior) and “gift-projection” (expecting others to feel equally passionate about something we do). American President Harry Truman said, “When we understand the other fellow’s viewpoint and what he’s trying to do, nine times out of ten he’s just trying to do right.” 

The lines of communication to God are open to all who trust and believe in Jesus. Previously, people had to approach God through priests. The most holy place in a temple was sealed by a curtain and only a high priest could enter their once per year on the Day of Atonement when he would offer sacrifices for the nation’s sins. However, after Jesus resurrection, believers became priests and could approach God personally and walk in His presence because Jesus made us acceptable to God.  (John 16:23-27 and Hebrews 10:19-23).

Our prayers will be heard by God if they are prayed in Jesus’ name. Jesus taught His disciples to use His name when praying to God,“. . . whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.  Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 15:16 and John 16:24).  We can also go right into God’s presence if we come wholeheartedly with proper motives and pure and sincere worship. Therefore, we need to evaluate our thoughts and motives with his word and come boldly before Him with a clear conscience. A clean conscience will allow us to approach Him boldly. We also need to get rid of doubt and have faith that He will hear and answer our prayers.

Pray with a clear mind and self-control.   ^“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”(1 Peter 4:7). Pray in agreement with other believers.  Jesus looked ahead to a new day when He would be present with His followers through His Holy Spirit. The sincere agreement of two “Holy-Ghost filled” people in prayer is more powerful than the superficial agreement of thousands because of the Spirit of Christ within them – when they pray according to God’s will.   “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”(Matthew18:19-20).  Keep on praying.

Finally, keep on praying. Persevere as you wait for the Lord to answer you prayers. “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;” (Romans 12:12). Corrie Ten Boom once said, “A man is powerful on his knees.”

Last week we discussed the importance of faith in our prayers and our actions. This week we will focus on how to pray according to the scriptures. 

First, we should live our lives in a constant attitude of prayer and allow ourselves to be drawn to into the Lord’s presence through a constant connection to Him as we live our daily life’s experiences. The bible tells us to pray always or “Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17. The scriptures also teach us to pray according to God’s will. In all prayers, we should keep the perspective that it should always be “if the Lord wills”.  This way we acknowledge that the Lord is in charge and He knows what is best. “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. . . For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (James 4:14-15, 1 John 5:14 and Ephesians 5:17).

Every time we pray we should come with an open heart and allow God’s Spirit to guide us in our prayers. When we are inadequate, the Spirit will intervene for us and know the exact thing to pray for.  ^“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, but be filled with the Spirit; Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groaninsg which cannot be uttered.  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,” (Romans 8:16, Romans 8:26-27, Ephesians 5:18, Ephesians 6:18, and Jude 1:20). (TO BE CONTINUED)

When people struggle with their prayer lives, they are struggling with their intimacy with God. The consequence of neglecting a close relationship with God can be catastrophic – personally, for a family, for a church body and for a nation.  Jesus envisioned a hope for children of God to be gathered under God’s wings like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. Imagine the closeness and protection this will provide to us. Like the mother hen, God knows how to protect and nurture His children but God’s children must welcome the protection – or forfeit it.

In Luke 13:31-35, when the Pharisees came to warn Jesus that Herod wanted to kill Him, Jesus refused to leave the city until His work was done. He accused Jerusalem [symbolizing the entire nation] of being a city that kills and stones the prophets who are sent there to it protect and provide for it. Jesus said in verse 34 “. . . How often would I have gathered your children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not.” Would not what? They would not allow Jesus to draw close. They would not allow Him to be the protector and provider He longed to be for His people – and this is what led to the destruction of the Temple four decades later.

In many ways and occasions, we do the same today. Still, Jesus’ invitation stands. He wants to gather, protect and nurture us from the ravages of life. But when we reject God’s advances, we open a Pandora’s box of unnecessary trouble, hardship and difficulties.  Those who spurn God’s appeals expose themselves to an unprotected life. This is true for any individual or group of people who begin with God but then stray away from Him. God has ways of keeping our attention and helping us realize that there really is no “life” apart from His power and presence. History teaches us that those who abandon God eventually pay a very heavy price for their neglect.

Here is a God Factor to think about. God has created each of us with a definite purpose in life and therefore we need an intimate relationship with Him. Intimacy with God will help us in every area of life. Both the Bible and history teach us that God wants to be our shield from all foes who seek our demise. Think about it for a moment. He wants to gather and protect us, be our shield and our guardian – but do you want Him to? Can anyone or anything succeed against GOD? It is absurd to think otherwise, but our actions often leave us vulnerable to the elements of life. Our words can say one thing while our actions say another. Our use of time reveals our real conviction about God’s invitation for intimacy with Him.