A Weekly Prayer Guide

1 Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing."

Today, my Thankful Thursday post is about how thankful I am for the new lady's ministry our church has started. Let me just tell ya.. It has been such an encouragement to me--such a blessing... I'm so grateful for it and am looking forward to it each month! (Thank you so much, Denise!)

This past Tuesday, the speaker brought a quick lesson to all of us about raising our children in this sin-filled, wicked world. I so wish I had that one on tape... or cd. : ) She did such a great job.

One portion of this particular lesson I really wanted to share with all of you was the importance of prayer. There is nothing more important you can do for your children than to pray for them--everyday!

They passed out a pamphlet to everyone called "How To Pray For Your Children--A Parents Weekly Prayer Guide". This is rich. There are 5 very specific things they list to pray about each day--for your children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren!

I want to also say here that these things can be used to pray for yourself or others as well... They are wonderful things to remember every time we seek the Lord in prayer...

This pamphlet came from a group called "Life Action Ministries"--a truly wonderful outreach ministry that came to our church many years ago (when I was still in elementary school!) You can go here to see another version of the pamphlet that I have.

I wanted to list these points for every one here--so we can all reference them regularly. Save them--print them out--put them in your Bible--use them!! : )

And here they are!

"A Parents Weekly Prayer Guide"

Sunday

1. Salvation: Pray that they would come to know God personally and intimately through a relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ. Romans 1: 16

2. Spiritual Protection: Pray that God would hedge them about with His protection, and that they would be safe from the attacks of the evil one on their thoughts, minds, and spirits. Ephesians 6: 11

3. Physical Safety: Pray that God would keep them safe from harm, accident, trauma, and disease. Psalm 91:14

4. Walk in the Spirit: Pray that they would learn to trust God with each decision, concern, and situation, leaning on His Spirit for direction and responses. Galatians 5:16

5. Love of God's Word: Pray that they would love, trust, and cherish the Bible as God's authority in their lives, hiding His Word in their hearts and applying it's truth to their situation. Psalm 119: 9-11

Monday

1. Strength: Pray that God would grant them emotional and spiritual strength to overcome rejection, ridicule, or temptation. Pray that in times of crisis and uncertainty they would evidence the wisdom and power to obey God. Joshua 23: 8

2. Wisdom: Pray that God would teach them wisdom, and that they would learn to apply His truth to their lives, with discernment and understanding. Proverbs 3: 13-14

3. Brokenness: Pray that God would help them recognize their wrong behavior, and that they would take responsibility for their attitudes and actions. Pray that they would be humble. Psalm 34:18

4. Strong Character: Pray that God would grant them virtue and discipline, and that He would make them men and women of strong character and right choices. Colossians 3: 12

5. Courage: Pray that God would give them courage with their convictions, to stand strong even when everyone else is against them. Proverbs 1: 10

Tuesday

1. Respect for Authority: Pray that God would give them respect for the position of those He has placed over them, and that they would honor their teachers, pastors, employers, and civil authorities. Romans 13: 1-2

2. Servant's Heart: Pray that they would have a servant's heart, learning to minister to the practical needs of those around them, like Jesus did. Mark 10: 45

3. Moral Purity: Pray that God would keep them morally pure and keep them from the snare of lust, impurity, and wrong thoughts. Colossians 3: 5

4. Contentment: Pray that they would be content with what God provides, and that they would trust Him to meet their needs. Philippians 4: 11-12

5. Faith in Trials: Pray that they would develop complete trust in God, and turn to Him during times of trouble, fear, or difficulty. Deuteronomy 33: 27

Wednesday

1. Heart for Lost People: Pray that God would grant them a heart of compassion for those who do not know the Savior, and a willingness to share the gospel with them. 2 Peter 3: 9

2. Appreciation of Differences: Pray that they would come to appreciate the uniqueness in others, and be free of discrimination, judgmental attitudes, and hurtful comments toward people. 1 Thessalonians 3: 12

3. Salt and Light: Pray that God would expand their leadership and influence, and that they would be salt and light in their daily interaction with the world. Matthew 5: 13-14

4. Spirit of Gratitude: Pray that God would cultivate a heart of gratitude in them, and that they would demonstrate praise toward God and thankfulness to those around them. 1 Thessalonians 5: 18

5. Joy: Pray that they would be joyful despite their circumstances, and that they would smile easily, laugh often, and cultivate an attitude of appreciation. Psalm 118:24

Thursday

1. Perseverance: Pray that God would teach them patience and endurance, and that they would not give up easily when faced with major challenges. James 1: 12

2. Kindness: Pray that they would be kind to others, especially other children, and that they would not bully, taunt, or criticize others. Matthew 7: 12

3. Teachable Spirit: Pray that they would view each encounter with others as a teachable moment, and that they would be curious to learn from those around them. Proverbs 13: 18

4. Honesty: Pray that they would demonstrate a spirit of truthfulness in what they say and do, and communicate honestly, not with lies, deceit, or exaggeration. Colossians 3: 9

5. Prayerfulness: Pray that they would learn to be a person of prayer and that they would develop a disciplined and powerful prayer life, praying without ceasing, developing a lifestyle of communion with God. 1 Thessalonians 5: 17

Friday

1. Compassion for Others: Pray that God would develop in them a compassionate heart for those left out, mistreated, or bullied, and that they would defend the defenseless. Pray that they would respond to the physically handicapped or mentally challenged with grace and love. Matthew 25: 40

2. Peacemaker: Pray that they would be peacemakers in the midst of strife and turmoil, and that they would demonstrate justice, fairness, and mercy in their dealings with others. Romans 12: 18-19

3. A Godly Mate: Pray that God would prepare the heart of the person they will someday marry to be godly, to be exactly what they need, and to be a person of character, commitment, and conviction. 1 John 4: 7

4. Right Friends: Pray that they would choose godly friends, and that they would influence their friends to make right choices. Proverbs 13: 20

5. Love for Siblings: Pray that they would learn to love their brothers and sisters and treat them with kindness, respect, and caring. 1 John 4: 20-21

Saturday

1. Forgiving Heart: Pray that they would be quick to forgive and free from bitterness or resentment. Colossians 3: 13

2. Generosity: Pray that they would be generous with their resources, giving to meet needs, and proving that God gives back to those who are unselfish. Luke 6: 38

3. Humility: Pray that they would demonstrate a spirit of humility, not arrogance or pride. James 4: 6

4. Love of Beauty: Pray that they would love God's creation and respect all life. Pray that they would appreciate beauty and think about things which are pure, lovely, and admirable. Philippians 4: 8

5. Godly Parents: Pray that God would help me be a parent who models these godly characteristics for my child, and that He would grant me patience and love for each child He has placed in my care. Ephesians 6:4

God is such a great God. He answers prayer. Pray these things for our upcoming generation! They certainly need it more now than ever before!

~Page

1 John 5:14-15 "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him."