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Rhythm of Prayer

Series Focus:  Spend time with God to be more like Jesus
Use this guide to lead your family.  In each guide, you will find a parenting affirmation to help you focus on God's call on you as a parent/guardian.  Then, you will find a Scripture passage from the New International Reader's Version of the Bible.  When you are done reading, there are discussion questions to help your family talk about what you read.  Feel free to add to or skip  questions as time allows.  At some point during the week, it would be extra special to plan to do the optional Family Activity.

Parenting Affirmation:  God is using parenthood to make me more like Jesus.  Read Isaiah 48:10-11

Read: 5 “When you pray, do not be like those who only pretend to be holy. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners. They want to be seen by other people. What I’m about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward. 6 When you pray, go into your room. Close the door and pray to your Father, who can’t be seen. Your Father will reward you, because he sees what you do secretly. 7 When you pray, do not keep talking on and on. That is what ungodly people do. They think they will be heard because they talk a lot. 8 Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need even before you ask him.

9 “This is how you should pray.“ ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored.10 May your kingdom come. May what you want to happen be done on earth as it is done in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our sins, just as we also have forgiven those who sin against us. 13 Keep us from sinning when we are tempted.    Save us from the evil one.’  Matthew 6:5-13

Discussion Questions:
Who likes to pray?  Tell me why you like to pray.

Jesus’s disciples asked Him to tell them how to pray.  This passage shows us the answer He gave.  He started by telling them what no to do.

Have you ever seen someone who draws more attention to themselves when they pray than on the prayer they are praying?  How did that make you feel?

Next, Jesus teaches them how to pray.  The model prayer Jesus gives helps us know how to focus our prayers.  

Let’s practice this together:
  • Who will pray thanking God for who He is?  
  • Who will pray about requests everyone has?  
  • Who will pray asking God to forgive us for our sins and the ways we have not honored Him this week?  
  • Lastly, who will pray asking God to help us serve and love Him better every day?

This model prayer is to help us know how to talk to God about everything.  It doesn’t have to be in this order every time, but we do need to find ways to talk to God about more than just our wishes or dreams.  

What is one thing each of us can work on in improving how we pray and how often we pray?

Family Activity:  Start a prayer journal as a family.  Encourage everyone to try to include all kinds of prayers so that we all continue to grow in our relationship with God every day.  Make sure to celebrate answers to prayer by giving God the credit for the answer.
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