We’ve talked for a few weeks about how to pray and what to pray. This week we’ll look at a few Scriptures that tell us who we should pray for.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• James 5:16
• 1 Timothy 2:1-4
• Ephesians 6:19-20
• Luke 6:27-28
• Romans 10:1

Let’s start it.

Moving clockwise, have family members say a name as quickly as they can. It can be someone they know – like a friend or a teacher – or a person they’ve seen on television or heard about in the news. Keep going until one of you hesitates before answering.

Let’s learn it.

How did you do? It’s amazing to think of how many names we have stored in our heads, isn’t it? Did your family name friends who also believe in Jesus? Spending time with Christian friends alerts you about how to pray for them. What does James 5:16 tell us about how to pray for other believers? You can pray for a sick friend to get well or for friends going on vacation to have a safe trip. You can even pray for God to show them ways they have disobeyed Him.

For another important way to pray for Christian friends, read Paul’s personal prayer request in Ephesians 6:19-20. If Paul – the greatest missionary who ever lived – needed prayer for boldness to talk about Jesus, then so do our friends and so do we! Paul not only prayed that he would share the gospel of Jesus, he also prayed for the unbelievers who heard it. What did he pray for his unbelieving countrymen in Romans 10:1? Do you have friends who haven’t yet received Jesus’ gift of salvation? Pray for boldness to talk to them about Jesus and about how much God loves them.

Most of us are quick to pray for the people we know, but we sometimes forget to pray for the leaders of our country, schools, churches, and workplace. Did you remember to name any of these people in Let’s start it? Look at what Paul wrote to Timothy about this group of people in 1Timothy 2:1-4. It’s important to give thanks to God for the people who have authority over you and to ask God to guide them with truth.

Jesus Himself gave instructions about praying for another group of people. What four words does He use to describe them in Luke 6:27-28? Having a godly attitude toward people who hate you, curse you, and mistreat you does not come naturally. It’s easier to be kind and loving to even those people when you pray for them regularly. As you pray for people who seem to be against you, ask the Lord to help you to respond to them in a way that honors Him.

Followers of Christ have the privilege to talk with God. We also have the responsibility to pray for other people. The Apostle Paul summed it up best when he said to pray, “for everyone” (1 Timothy 2:1). Wow! Praying for all people is a big responsibility, but it’s also a great privilege. Of course, it would be impossible to pray all at one time for every person you know or have ever heard of. That’s why the Bible instructs us to pray “all the time” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). That means that we should always be in an attitude of prayer. When a friend comes to your mind, you don’t have to stop and close your eyes to pray. You can simply ask God silently from your heart to help that friend.

Let’s discuss it.

1. Think about the names you mentioned in Let’s start it. Try to match some of their names with one of the groups we just talked about: believers, unbelievers, authorities, and those who mistreat you. How can you pray for each group?
2. Which of these people have an immediate need for prayer because of an illness or some kind of trouble?
3. Who makes decisions that affect you and your family? How can you pray for those leaders and authorities this week?

 

Let’s do it.

Let’s practice everything we’ve learned this month about prayer. Remember to start your family prayer time by praising God for who He is, and then thank Him for what He has done. Use 1 John 1:9 as your spiritual bar of soap to ask for God’s forgiveness. Pray again for the requests your family members have mentioned over the last few weeks. Finally, pray for the people you talked about in Let’s discuss it this week (as many of them as you can!). End your prayer in the name of Jesus, showing that you want your requests to glorify and honor His plans.

God has the right to say “Yes,” “No,” or “Wait” to anything we ask of Him because He is the Lord God Almighty. It’s hard to understand why God sometimes says “Wait” or “No” to good things – like healing someone who is sick. However, we can trust that He is able to bring something good out of even the worst situation. Let’s take a look at when God says “Yes” to our prayers.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Matthew 6:9-13
• 1 John 5:14-15
• John 14:13-14

Let’s start it.

How do you want your family to pray for you, personally? Get a piece of paper and write down one personal prayer request from each member of the family. We will pray about these requests at the end of the devotion.

Let’s learn it.

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He gave them a model prayer as a pattern to follow. We started looking at Jesus’ model prayer last week. Have you worked on reciting it this week? Have a family member read Matthew 6:9-13 to refresh your memory.

Today we’ll take a closer look at verse 10. Go ahead and read that verse again. We talked last week about praising God’s character traits at the beginning of our prayer time. If we believe that He is the Lord of Heaven and Earth and that His character and plan are perfect, then we should want His will to be done everywhere – including in our own lives. Look at what the Apostle John wrote in 1 John 5:14-15 about our prayer requests.

Did you catch the key to answered prayer? John encourages us to pray for things that agree with God’s will. Read what else Jesus said about prayer in John 14:13-14.

Have you heard someone end a prayer by saying, “I ask these things in Jesus’ name”? Praying in the name of Jesus declares that He is God. It shows that you choose to follow His example to glorify the heavenly Father by obeying His commands. Praying in Jesus’ name announces that you want God’s will to be done. It means that the things that are important to Jesus are important to you, too.

Prayer and Bible reading go together like two lanes on the communication road between God and us. We hear from God and learn more about Him by reading Scripture. As we obey His Word, we become more like His Son, Jesus. Then we express our concerns to Him through prayer, wanting what God wants more than any selfish desires we have. If God says “No” or “Wait” during a difficult time, remember that He can be honored as others watch how you trust Him.

Let’s discuss it.

1. What things do you already know from Scripture about God’s character and His plan for people? Based on those things, brainstorm ways you can pray according to God’s will.
2. Look back at the prayer requests you wrote down during Let’s start it. How does your request honor and glorify God? What do you need to change about your request in order for it to line up with God’s Word?

Let’s do it.

Concentrate your prayer time this week on things that will honor and glorify your heavenly Father. First, find out what God has already said in the Bible about what you are asking. Then, instead of asking God to change His mind, ask Him to change your heart to match His will.

Close your family devotion by practicing what we’ve learned about prayer together. Begin your prayer time by praising some of the names and qualities of God – as we learned last week. Then move on to the requests you’ve written down during this devotion. How does each request honor God so that it can be asked in Jesus’ name? Ask each family member to pray for another member’s request.

We’ve been learning that our community of believers can be compared to our human bodies and families. God chose those illustrations because we can all identify with them. For instance, think about ways you protect your body from things that would cause pain … or the way you still love your family members even though you might disagree with them from time to time. Let’s explore what should happen when Christians disagree.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Ephesians 4:1-7; 11-16

Let’s start it.

Do you remember last week’s activity? Share how you helped or encouraged someone last week.

Talk about the things members of your family have in common and the ways you are different from each other. How do the differences sometimes cause disagreements?

Let’s learn it.

The members of God’s family are as unique as the members of your human family; so He knew that disagreements would sometimes come up in your church family just as they do in your human family. God made sure we had instructions about what to do when that happens. Read Ephesians 4:1-7 together and look for the instructions in those verses.

Since believers share the same Father, Savior, and Spirit, we ought to do whatever it takes to live lovingly, peacefully, humbly, and patiently with one another. After all, God is loving, forgiving, and patient with us – right? Being patient means that you choose to complain less and control your temper more. Learning to not get annoyed or upset helps you to get along better with people who are different from you. All of those things are proof that you are growing up and becoming more mature. What does Ephesians 4:11-16 say about becoming a mature follower of Christ?

We learned last week that love for one another should be the first thing people notice about Jesus’ followers. Really loving others helps you to be patient with them, and patience changes how you speak to them. You see, how you say something is just as important as what you say. When truth is said harshly, it hurts people’s feelings; but when truth is said gently, it helps them mature as followers of Christ.

Did you notice that the Apostle Paul used the illustration of the human body for the church again? This time he specifically named Jesus as the Head of the body. Every member of the church receives instructions from the Head, just as your brain tells the rest of your body what to do. Something is wrong if your hand or your foot does whatever it wants to do, ignoring the messages from your brain! When each member of the body of Christ is doing what He has said to do, then the entire body is healthy. As a result, we learn to gently and lovingly solve our differences with other believers.

Let’s discuss it.

1. Name ways that God has been patient, forgiving, and loving with you. How should that change how you respond to your brothers and sisters in Christ?
2. Take turns saying the following phrases in different tones of voice. Which tones sound loving and patient? Which ways sound hurtful?
   1. Would you please pass the butter?
   2. Can you please stop doing that?
3. What caused you to complain or lose your temper recently? How could you have handled that situation with more patience?

Let’s do it.

Think of one way that God has shown you love and forgiveness recently. Will you try to remember that thought when you start to grow impatient or annoyed with someone else? Listen to your tone of voice when a disagreement comes up at home, at school, or at work. Remind yourself of Christ’s instructions by reading the Bible every day. Will others be able to tell by your patient and kind attitude that you are a follower of Jesus?

Last week we learned that each believer is part of the body of Christ with a job to do. Did you know there are so many ways that we can help our community of believers? This week we’re going to talk about how we can make a huge difference in the lives of others if we decide to jump in and be an active part of the body of Christ.

Be ready to read the following passages:

• Romans 12:4-8
• Ephesians 4:11-13
• 1 Peter 4:10-11

Let’s start it.

Have each person name things that other family members are especially good at doing. Don’t be shy; now is the time to brag on each other!

Let’s learn it.

At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit gives every follower of Christ at least one spiritual gift. These gifts are not natural talents – they are special abilities that the Spirit of God gives us. He also gives us the skills and strength to use those gifts to do God’s work. Go ahead and open your Bibles or follow the link to Romans 12:4-8 and Ephesians 4:11-13. This is a great opportunity to learn to find passages in the Bible.

There are speaking gifts, and there are serving gifts. It’s a little easier to spot some of the speaking gifts; many of those people are often in front of others. For example, God gives us evangelists, pastors, and teachers with the ability to clearly explain what the Bible means. They help us to grow in Jesus and prepare us to serve each other in the church. Some believers with speaking gifts might not be quite as visible, like those who quietly speak encouraging words to the people around them.

The serving gifts are a little harder to see. Just think of all the people who work behind the scenes to help with your student and children’s ministries, or think of the people who make it possible for your pastor to preach each week. Others give generously to mission work and to people in need. That doesn’t mean that only people with the gift of giving should give or that only those with the gift of encouraging should ever encourage. It just means that those things are easier for them to do, so they should work hard to use their gifts as God directs them. Ask a family member to read 1 Peter 4:10-11 to discover the purpose of spiritual gifts.

Your spiritual gifts are meant to help the family of God and bring praise to Jesus Christ. Each member of the body of Christ needs the other members to fulfill his or her purpose. When the people in your church use their spiritual gifts to cheerfully minister to the other members, the body of Christ is healthy and the Lord is honored.

Let’s discuss it.

1. As we discussed last week, different parts of the human body are connected with roles in the church (for example, mouth suggests teachers and preachers). As a family, try to match parts of the body and roles in the church with the spiritual gifts listed in today’s Bible passages (Romans 12:4-8, Ephesians 4:11-13, and 1 Peter 4:10-11).
2. What spiritual gifts do you think members of your family have been given?

Let’s do it.

It’s very important to use your spiritual gifting in the power of the Holy Spirit. You will draw attention to yourself rather than to Jesus when you try to use your gift(s) without God’s help. Since God gave you the gift, He will also help you to use it with humility and to appreciate the spiritual gifts of others. How can you use your gifts to contribute to your community of believers this week?