Prayer is one habit that you should have as a child. It’s your way of communicating with God and making it a regular habit is a huge bonus for you as a Christian child.
When you pray often, you are creating an open channel of conversing with God. The more time you spend with Him, the more you will know Him, know yourself, know His plans for you and enjoy His glory spread all over your life.
Jesus, the son of God, had the habit of always taking time off to pray to God. See what the bible reveals about how Jesus took prayer while He was on earth, in the verses below.
But Jesus often slipped away to other places to be alone so that he could pray. Luke 5:16 ICB
At that time Jesus went off to a mountain to pray. He stayed there all night, praying to God. Luke 6:12 ICB
After he said good-bye to them, he went alone up into the hills to pray. It was late, and Jesus was there alone. Matthew 14:23 ICB
Early the next morning, Jesus woke and left the house while it was still dark. He went to a place to be alone and pray. Mark 1:35 ICB
Prayer was an important part of Jesus’ life while He was on earth. He did so early in the mornings, left His disciples at some times to go pray alone and even to empty and quiet places to pray. Through prayer He communicated with His father. He asked for help with what was going to happen to Him. He also prayed for the disciples and many people.
Be like Jesus, find a quiet place where you can be alone and pray to God. Early in the morning, pray to God. During the day, pray also. Put aside some few minutes to pray and see how your relationship with God grows. The habit of prayer will sure do you some good.
May His grace give you the strength to pray at all times. Amen.
Prayer: Heavenly Lord, I want to develop the habit of praying to you often; help me to take on the habit prayer. I want my life to improve and my relationship with you also in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Action point: Find more verses in the bible that speaks about habits. Read and study them. What did you learn?
The power of a genuine prayer for something to happen or for someone to change can never be overrated. Instead of judging your friends, pray for them. Prayer is one mighty tool to use to create the change you want. In its purest form, it touches the heart of God and moves His hands to do the miraculous. And God always listens to a prayer said on behalf of someone.
When God hears your prayers concerning somebody, He listens. So pray for them. It is called intercession. When you intercede on behalf of someone, asking God to help them have a change of heart, He loves it. This is because God loves it when people change from being bad to good. That’s why He sent Jesus to die for us all
Instead of judging someone, pray for them. Speak to God about them. Ask God to help them see the errors of their ways and stop doing every wrong think they are doing. Give them your prayers instead of judging them.
Your prayer is a cry for mercy to God for them. You are telling God to look upon them with mercy and not on their wrongs.
Instead of the punishment that they should receive for their wrongs, ask the Lord to forgive them and make them new again in His sight, just like Jesus cried on the cross, asking our Heavenly Father to forgive us all. Learn to ‘pray for them.’
Pray as often as you can as the bible encourages to pray always.
Prayer is like preparing a bowl of stew. You first gather your ingredients, get the pot and fire ready and start the process. It takes time to prepare the soup and the process has to be followed if you want the stew done and ready.
Continue to pray and believe God will bring a change in them. Don’t forget our anchor phrase this morning – ‘pray for them.’
May the Lord bless you as you pray for people. Amen.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, fill me with the urge to pray for others instead of judging them. Help me to continue to do this, in Jesus’ mighty name, amen.
Action plan: Who is the first person you think you should start praying for? Ask the Holy Spirit to show you.
Remember we said that prayer is like a one-on-one session with God? It’s time alone with God and not open to anyone or anything to cause any distraction. Distracting someone in prayer is not cool at all.
So, when you see someone praying maybe during church service or not, it’s not the time to start distracting them. It’s not cool to make a joke then or nudge them to look at someone or something irrelevant or trivial.
Don’t tap someone who is praying and say “Hey, look at Tom’s torn jeans” or “See how messed up Susan’s hair is.” It’s really not cool to make jokes about people’s looks, clothes, or social status. And not even during prayers. And God doesn’t want you to do so.
When you do so, you are distracting them from God – you break their connection to God at that time. This prevents them from hearing or receiving a message from God at that time.
Just like you shouldn’t allow anyone or anything to break your focus during prayer, you shouldn’t do so to others too. Let them enjoy the same blessing you receive from praying to God. Don’t be a stumbling block in their path; stop distracting them.
Prayer is an important ingredient to any Christian’s life. It’s important in your life. May the Lord give you a heart of understanding. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Prayer: Lord, I don’t want to be a stumbling block in the paths of people during their praying time; help me not to be distracting people. Help me to remain focused on You during prayer. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Action plan: When next you feel the urge to talk to someone and make a joke during prayers, ask the Holy Spirit for help. And don’t do it.
Confession: My children are true worshippers. They worship God in spirit and in truth. They will not be distracting others in their worship.
I remember many years ago, as a young Christian, I was praying and trusting God for some things. God answered me very clearly and told me to forgive so and so. Now, these people really hurt me, and I felt justified walking in an unforgiving spirit. But then God gave me two scriptures and said if I want to move forward in life, I have to forgive.
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19 ESV)
The second scripture God gave me was:
To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices (2 Corinthians 2:10-11 KJV)
I had to listen to God and it was only then I was able to move forward.
2. From the above scriptures, a few things are clear.
3. People will hurt you, as long as you are human and you are in the days of your flesh.
4. You will like to get even, born again or not.
5. Don’t get even; don’t avenge yourself.
6. God will avenge you, He will fight for you and that is when it is sweetest.
7. If you stay in unforgiving mode, Satan will use it as loophole to cause havoc.
You are not to be ignorant of how the devil operates.
A third scripture I will like you to see is here:
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses (Matthew 6:14-15 KJV)
Now, you don’t want to find yourself here. You don’t want to find yourself in a place where God will not forgive you. And yet, the only way not to get there is to forgive people easily! Now as you read this, I really want you to check yourself out. Are you holding a few people in your heart without forgiving them? Well, it could slow you down, literarily!
It could cause delays in marriages, it could cause relationships not to work out, and other havocs can be wrecked. That’s why I tell people; don’t start another relationship immediately after one has just ended. Give yourself a break, at least, six months. Why? When you rush into another relationship with hurts, wounds, bitterness, and an unforgiving spirit, you will end up frustrating that other person, and the relationship will still not work out. You cannot establish a relationship on a foundation of hurts, wounds, and bitterness!
When you stay in unforgiving mode, it’s like moving away from God’s protective arm into the terrain of the devil. A lot of us fast and pray fervently, but hear me and hear me well, if you don’t forgive, you will never be able to enjoy the fullness of God’s blessings. I come to you this morning, by the Spirit of God and by His grace which He has endowed me with and I speak into your life and destiny, ‘Forgive!’
Yes, I know you are hurt! Yes, I know you were jilted. Yes, I know you were raped. Yes, I know you were defrauded. Yes, I know you were abandoned when it is just a few days before the wedding. Yes, I know there has been a divorce. Yes, I know you were cheated. Yes, I know you were wrongfully accused. Yes, I know your spouse cheated on you and manipulated you…and the list goes on.
But you cannot afford some bitterness. It is too expensive for you! You need God now, don’t you? You yourself are not perfect, are you? The only way God can overlook, forgive and forget your own imperfections and cause His mercy to avail for you is when you forgive that person.
There are some of us that hold our parents in derision. You are wrong to do that. But my parents are not born-again! You see the scripture never says you should honour your born-again parents! He said you should honour your parents! That is how to last on the planet earth! So that your days will be long! In fact, a particular translation says, honour your parents so that God can say well done to you!
Some of you are having delays in marriage because you are walking in disobedience. If your parents have ever said wrong words to you because you were at loggerheads with them, go back to them and apologize. Humble yourself, so that you won’t slow yourself down. Dishonoring your parents and refusing to forgive them can cost you your life! Read your Bible very well.
Go back to them, buy a gift, prostrate or kneel down and ask them to bless you! That act alone will be better off than ninety days of fasting and prayers, which might not yield results because of an unforgiving spirit.
Forgive your spouse. You will do yourself a lot of good if you do that. If you don’t forgive him or her, your prayers will be hindered. Don’t block God’s blessings over you at this time. Why waste your time praying? Isn’t that a religious spirit at work? Married couples, be quick to forgive each other! Don’t allow strife in your family. If you have been in prolonged hurt and strife, it is dangerous. End it today and allow God’s blessing to flow in your family. Leave your ego behind and obey God. Take your wife out, buy her a gift and apologize! Go to your husband and kneel down and ask for forgiveness. It is not old-fashioned; it is scripture!
Let go and let God! Let it be a beginning of a new day for you and yours! Let go of everybody you are holding in your mind. Burn your little black book of offenses and stop recording hurts. Delete them not only from your memory but from recycle bin as well. Guard your heart with all diligence for out of them are the issues of life.
May God help you and give you strength to forgive all you need to forgive in Jesus name!
Partner with us Today. Use links above.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I have a forgiving attitude. I am quick to forgive.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, give me the grace to let go of all who have hurt me
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: (Matthew 6:14 KJV)
