Yesterday, we talked about knowing God and walking with Him. Today we will be talking about PRAYER. You should learn how to engage the force of prayer.
Jeremiah 29:12 [ESV] Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.
Prayer is an art of communication. That means, you are talking to God and God will also talk to you.
Children, learn to talk to God about anything and everything. He listens and will also talk back to you.
We receive solutions to issues when we pray. Miracles happen when we pray.
Children, learn to pray to God always.
Rather than complain, pray. Instead of worrying, pray. Instead of grumbling, pray.
We have a prayer answering God, isn’t that awesome?
Prayer for the day: My children will engage the force of prayer in Jesus name. Amen
Action point: Pray about everything.
Declaration: My children learn to pray to God always.
There is ‘how to know God More.’ In one of the past devotionals, we talked about having confidence in God because, with Him, our glorious future is secured.
We should seek to know God more, pleasing Him in all ways.
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.
Jeremiah 29:12 ESV
If you want to know God more, you should always do the following;
Read and meditate
2. Pray
3. Confess the Word of God
4. Obey
Reading and meditating on God’s word involves you always asking the Holy Spirit to teach you and grant you understanding through the word of God.
When you do this, the light of God will fill your heart.
This is because we receive revelation and instructions when we read God’s word.
Learning to treat people well is very important. Do you like to be shoved away, kicked, punched, pinched, teased, mocked, bullied, and lied at? These are just some terrible things that can happen to you.
Other children or even adults can do these wicked things to you just because they can or they think you deserve it. How would you feel? Really ask yourself this question.
On the other hand, you could be the one doing these same unfair acts to other children. Maybe in collaboration with other children, you could be bullying a classmate who has bushy eyebrows. You could mock them with a name like “the bush”, “bushbrows”, “bushy” or any other name you think is cool. Do you think they would like that? Really ask yourself this.
You definitely won’t like to be on the receiving part and shouldn’t do that to another person. They also won’t like it. If you won’t like it, they most likely won’t like it too.
Jesus condemned treating people wrongly and told those around him to not do so. He was teaching them to value others with respect, love, and care.
“And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.”
Luke 6:31
He was saying that you should treat others the way you want to be treated. If you want to be treated well, treat people well. That’s the right thing to do.
May you receive the strength to treat people well. Amen
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I obey your command and will treat everyone well. Strengthen me for this task. Amen.
Action point: You can start by apologizing to the people you have treated badly in the past. Then begin to treat other people well.
Do you know the importance of God’s Word? Now, what does a lamp do? It gives light to a dark area, right? Dark areas are beyond the physical dark places in your environment that require you to switch on the light or use a torch to see.
The unseen dark areas of your life include the times when you are unsure of what to do out of maybe confusion, fear, or pressure.
While in these dark places in your heart and mind, you need light and not a physical light but the light of God. Divine light instantly lights up everywhere, driving out shadows and making you see well. This divine light is God’s word, the bible.
The psalmist in chapter 119 and verse 105 acknowledges what God’s word does for him.
Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
“A lamp to my feet…”
This shows that with God’s word as your light, you won’t lose your footing.
You won’t fall into any form of sin, fear, confusion, or bow down to any form of pressure from anyone to make you commit a sin.
And even if you happen to want to fall, His word will still help you not to fall.
Look at the second part of the verse – “…and a light to my path”. His word won’t let you fall for they will lighten up your path. They will give you an understanding of any situation you are facing at school, home, or anywhere.
His word will teach you how to handle the situation. He will guide you on what to say, do, or how to act.
God’s word is very powerful. Able to guide, teach and save you from any challenges you might have. His word is also able to show you how you could have managed past problems. This way, when such situations rise up again, you already know how to handle them.
Remember this verse when you seem not to know what to do. Go into God’s word and let his light keep your feet firm and your path bright.
Thou shall not judge. Beatrice scolded Mary from afar with her eyes. How could she not know that taking money from the cashier’s table was stealing? And now everyone knew what had happened.
They were good friends at school and Beatrice couldn’t bear the shame and embarrassment her friend had brought on her. She vowed not to be friends with Mary again.
Weeks before, Beatrice’s mother had followed her to school to see the principal. Beatrice had four textbooks that didn’t belong to her. She had taken them from the bags of her classmates without them noticing.
The principal had scolded her and asked her to return the books and meted out some punishment to her.
All through this, Mary never disowned her or felt embarrassed or ashamed as Beatrice felt now. How come Beatrice suddenly thinks she is better than Mary and labels her a sinner?
Here is what the bible says about sinners.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 3:23
The verse tells us that we were once sinners and not fit to receive God’s love but for Jesus who died that we might experience the glory of God in our lives.
No one can say that he or she has never sinned. Only God can not sin. Once we were sinners and now God has redeemed us from the consequences of sin through Jesus.
With this verse, understand that we can only continue to ask for forgiveness for our sins and receive help to not sin consciously.
And we are not to also judge others as sinners. Do not be like Beatrice, be like God, and don’t judge.
May the Lord give you the grace to not judge anyone. Amen
Prayer: Lord, help me not to judge anyone, most especially my friends. Help me to love them.
Action point: Before you judge anyone, ask yourself if you have ever done anything like they did. Would you like to be judged?
