Grandparent's Day is always the second Sunday in September - this year it is on the 8th, so if you are looking for a gift for a grandparent you love, take a look at Praying Deeper Through the Scriptures: For the Children You Love Who Walk With God & Those Who Do Not. We do not know what the future holds. We are not able to see "under the surface" (think ice bergs - we are able to see the part above the water, but not the much larger part under the water.) If we are experiencing challenges in our lives, it is very possible we have to wait to see what God has planned.
Doing this "waiting" is oftentimes extremely difficult, but in all honesty, there is no other option than for us to wait. Yes, we may become discouraged or angry, but choosing instead to trust God and wait is the choice which is best.
So, if you - or someone you know and love is experiencing a time of waiting, please work through and/or share this portion of my book, Praying Deeper Through the Scriptures: For the Children You Love Who Walk With God & Those Who Do Not. With Praying Deeper Through the Scriptures, each Month you will find a Scripture passage, which is then personalized and written into a prayer for you to pray for yourself and for the ones you love. Each week focuses in on a particular portion of the monthly Scripture passage and prayer with questions to help you think about what you are praying and suggestions for activities you may try with the ones you love as well.
As you pray the Scripture passages for a full month, you will be better able to understand what God’s Word is saying to you, pray for it to be real in your life, and in the lives of your grandchildren/ children as well. These passages and prayers will encourage you by helping to give you hope – especially if you have children/ grandchildren who have turned away from their faith.
As grandparents/parents we must be serious about praying; spending time with our God every day because we must love, know, and walk with God faithfully if we ever want our grandchildren/children to do so. Prayer must be a priority for us if it ever will be for them. So, pray these Scripture prayers for yourself; grow in your love for God. Grow closer to God. Model for your grandchildren/children what it means to be someone who loves, knows, and walks with God; someone who talks with Him. Pray them for the ones you love and trust God, because He loves our grandchildren/children even more than we do, and He definitely hears, absolutely listens to, and most certainly answers our prayers! You will find the book at this link - and here is a month for you to try for free.Month Ten – God is Doing a New Thing! –
Read – Isaiah 43:16, 18, 19, 25
Thoughts Behind the Passage –
When we look at our situation – especially if we have a child/ grandchild who has wandered from their faith, it is all too easy to think things will never change and to even give up. But God is all about “making a way” and “doing a new thing”! Yes, time may go by, and it may seem like nothing is changing and the one you love is no closer to returning to their faith than they were last year, or the year before, but God says He is “making a way” – we just need to be patient and wait, trusting Him all the while to do as He said – and of course He will!
Pay attention to –
· Who is God talking about?
· What does God say He will do?
· How do these verses help me know God better?
· How do these verses encourage me?
· How do they influence my prayers this month?
Prayer -
Dear God, thank You for telling me what You are up to and for reminding me how You have been faithful to make a way and a path for me before, so I am able to trust You to do the same now. It is far too easy for me to “dwell on the past” and how the ones I love have not been interested in returning to their faith, but You are “doing a new thing” and are fully able to make a “way in the wilderness” and “streams in the wasteland” so You are certainly able to draw the ones I love back to You. Please help me remember You do these things because You love us, and You chose to “remember our sins no more”! Thank You. Amen!
Focus for Week One –
This month as you think about and pray for the ones you love, take time to thank God for the ways He has been there for you to help and to make a “way” before. As you pray through Isaiah 43:16, 18, 19, 25 this week, keep in mind . . .
· These verses also show us God cares about the challenges we face in our lives, and He already has a plan for how He will “make a way” for us.
· What will it look like for you to choose to trust God this week? What specific things will you continue to do and what specific things will you begin to do? Is there anything you will stop doing?
· We are also able to see God’s tender love in these verses – He cares about the challenges in our lives.
· Consider writing this truth on a sticky note and put it where you will see it – the bathroom mirror, your computer screen, your coffee maker, etc.
· As you experience blessings and challenges this week, look for how God shows His tender love to you and how you trust Him – write these things down each time and when possible, share with the ones you love.
Focus for Week Two –
It is not difficult to feel discouraged when someone you love has wandered from their faith, but God wants us to forget the past because He is “doing a new thing”. As you pray through Isaiah 43:16, 18, 19, 25 this week, keep in mind . . .
· God wants us to be looking forward to what He is doing, He doesn’t want us to be discouraged by the past.
· Once again just because we do not see “results”, do not think this means God is doing nothing. Know He is committed to “doing a new thing” and trust Him.
· Consider writing this truth on a sticky note and put it where you will see it – the bathroom mirror, your computer screen, your coffee maker, etc.
· Watch for signs of God’s work in the lives of the ones you love.
· As you experience blessings and challenges this week, look for how God shows He is “doing a new thing” with the ones you love – write it down each time and when possible, share with the ones you love.
Focus for Week Three –
Focus your prayers on the ones you love and trust God to make a “way in the wilderness” and “streams in the wasteland”. God is certainly able to draw the ones we love back to Him. This week as you pray, think about this and as you pray through Isaiah 43:16, 18, 19, 25, keep in mind . . .
· What does it look like to trust the ones you love to God?
· How will you model trusting God – even when you are not able to see what He is doing?
· Think about what it is like for a wasteland to have “streams” – the land would no longer be a wasteland. Think about this as it applies to the ones you love who have wandered from their faith – God is “doing something new” and He is able to bring life back to them!
· Consider writing a reminder to listen to and follow God on a sticky note and put it where you will see it – the bathroom mirror, your computer screen, your coffee maker, etc.
· As you experience blessings and challenges this week, look for how the ones you love might be showing signs of life again – write it down each time and when possible, share with the ones you love.
Focus for Week Four –
When I think about the ones I love who have wandered from their faith, I especially am encouraged and hopeful to read how God has promised He is doing a new thing – I am also so thankful He chose to not remember any of our sins. As you pray through Isaiah 43:16, 18, 19, 25 this week, keep in mind . . .
· God chose to not remember your sin or the sin of the ones you love – take time to thank Him for His amazing grace!
· Because of God’s great grace, He is able to work on the “new thing” He has planned for you and for the ones you love.
· Consider writing this truth on a sticky note and put it where you will see it – the bathroom mirror, your computer screen, your coffee maker, etc.
· As you experience blessings and challenges this week, thank God for His grace and look for how He is doing a “new thing” – write it down each time and when possible, share with the ones you love.
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