MAKING CHILDREN FEEL LOVED AND ACCEPTED

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!

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CALL TO PRAYER FOR VLBCs CHILDREN

I’m asking the congregation to join me in prayer for VLBC children. Over the next several weeks, I will provide prayer points and scriptures to cover our children in prayer. First, we must seek His wisdom in order to pray for children as we ought to.  I’m also recommending some books to help you in prayers for children, one being the BIBLE, and the: 1) Power of a Prayer Parent by Stormie Omartian; and 2) Prayers that Avail Much by Germaine Copeland.

Jesus is Lord and we need to place all our faith and trust in Him for He is the all-seeing and all-knowing God, He is our all in all, and our everything. He is able to complete the work he has begun in our children but we must first acknowledge that we need the Lord’s help to raise our children. 

I encourage each of you to seek the help of the Holy Spirit and allow Him to lead you and open your eyes as to how to pray for children. Parents – ask the Lord for help on how to parent your children and don’t stop praying for your children. We will never be perfect parents but we serve a perfect God and His Holy Spirit will be our guide. The Lord has given us the authority to pray and to not be moved by what we see, but to hold on to our faith. The prayers of the righteous availeth much and the word of God will not return void.

The following scripture and prayer points are for adults as we seek His wisdom to pray for children as we ought. The next few weeks we will focus on prayers for the children.

SCRIPTURE

Proverbs 20:7 – The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him. Definition of Integrity: 1) the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness, 2) the state of being whole and undivided.

PRAYER POINTS

  • In the name of Jesus, I submit myself to You and partake of Your wisdom, discernment, revelation, and guidance. 
  • Help me to walk in righteousness and integrity before You. 
  • Give me strength and patience and teach me how to love the way You love. 
  • Teach me Your ways and help me to obey Your commandments and do only what is pleasing in Your sight. 
  • Wherever  I need to be healed, heal me; where I need to be delivered, deliver me; where I need to be changed, change me; where I need to be matured, mature me; and make me a whole parent.
  • Help me to raise children in the way they should go, for it is beyond my human abilities without your help. In Jesus name, Amen!

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Book of Isaiah

 “ . . . 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.


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Brotherly Love in Christian Relationships

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.” 


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HOW TO PRAY ACCORDING TO THE WORD (CONT)

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.”


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HOW TO PRAY ACCORDING TO THE WORD

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)


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FRUITS OF OUR FAITH

Faith may move mountains but having that faith is often easier said than done. The Gospel of Mark tells a story of a father who wanted to fully believe that Jesus would answer his request to heal his son. He cried to Jesus, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief.” Jesus healed this man’s son even though he had difficult with his faith (Mark 9:14-29). Like this father, we should also pray for stronger faith. Jesus said“. . .Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”(Matthew 21:21:22)

James (brother of Jesus) said in James 1:5-6 (NLT) “If you do not have wisdom, ask God for it. He is always ready to give it to you and will never say you are wrong for asking. You must have faith as you ask Him. You must not doubt. . .” James was the practical apostle who stood for efficiency and consistency in life and conduct. The book of James is considered the “Proverbs” of the New Testament. James taught about the fruits of our faith.

First, our faith gives us victory over temptation. We should consider our tests and trials as glorious opportunities for proving our faith and increasing our patience. James 1:2-3 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” We have to remain faithful that God will give us grace to endure and that His real purpose will be accomplished in our lives. Testing of our character comes from God; while temptations to evil come from our adversary and our own corrupt nature so we need to be careful where we lay the blame.  “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17).

Second, our faith shows in our actions. We must not be satisfied with only hearing God’s word but we must do God’s word. What good does it do to say that we have faith if we do not prove it by our actions or put it to use in proclaiming the gospel.  This is what James tells us to do when we hear the word.

RECEIVE IT. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. James 1:21

DO IT. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. James 1:22

HEAR  IT. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: James 1:23

EXAMINE IT. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. James 1:25 (TO BE CONTINUED)


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THE “GOD FACTOR”

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. 


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PRAYERS OF SUPPLICATION AND PETITION

God wants His children to bring their prayer requests to Him. When we request something from God for ourselves, our prayers are considered petitions to God.  When are pray or request something on behalf of other people, our prayers are considered supplications, also known as intercessory prayers.

Prayers of supplication and petition are part of the spiritual battles all Christians must engage in. Paul encouraged Christians to take up the “full armor of God” and to remain alert and pray in the Spirit, “making supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:13-18). He taught Christians that to remain faithful in prayer is the key to ensuring that the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).

In the New Testament, Jesus taught the disciples a prayer of supplication when He told them to ask God to give them their daily bread (Matthew 6:11).  It has been suggested that the best way to pray a prayer of supplication is to ask God for what you want, like a child would ask their Father – but end your request with, “Your will be done” and fully surrender to His will (Matthew 26:39). Jesus also teaches us not to give up on praying for our needs (Luke 18:1-8).  In the book of James, we find a balance: on the one hand, we don’t receive because we don’t ask; and on the other hand, we ask and don’t receive because we are thinking only of our fleshly desires (James 4:2-3).

The most crucial aspect of prayers of supplication and petition is having faith in the Lord. Children of God must have the Holy Spirit to intercede in their prayers on their behalf. Christians often do not know what or how to pray when we approach our Heavenly Father. He graciously sent His Spirit to intercede and pray for us and to interpret our prayers of supplication and petition. This is God’s way of leading and guiding His children in their prayer life as He sustains them before His mighty throne of grace (Romans 8:28).


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ANOTHER TYPE OF THANKSGIVING PRAYER

The word directs us to enter into God’s gates with thanksgiving and praise; be thankful to Him and bless His name (Psalm 100:4). It also tells us that it is His will concerning us to give Him thanks for everything. (1 Thessalonians 5:18). When most people think of prayers of thanksgiving, they think it is a prayer to praise God for something He has given or done for us, or someone else.  Prayers of thanksgiving can also be prayers for something we are trusting God to do in advance.

The Apostle Paul thanked God for the believers in Philippi every time he remembered them because of their partnership in the gospel. He also thanked God for being confident that He would perfect the good work in them that He had begun until Jesus’ returned (Philippians 1:3-6). Paul also thanked God for the saints at Ephesus after he learned of their faith in Jesus. (Ephesians 1:15). Paul, Silvanus and Timotheus thanked God for the faith and labor of love from the Thessalonians shown to the people of Macedonia and Achaia (1 Thessalonians 1:2-8).

The bible also warns us that in the latter day some shall depart from the faith. The bible also tells us that every creature of God is good and not to be refused; but rather received with thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer (l Timothy 4:1-5). Children of God – let’s take the example of Paul and pray prayers of thanksgiving for our fellow brethren in Christ who share our faith.  Let’s also pray for those who have departed from the faith with prayers of thanksgivings while trusting God in advance to bring them back into His fold so He can finish the good work He began in them.


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