Thy Kingdom Come Prayer Movement

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.1 Peter 4:7-11 (NIV)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing oureyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3Therefore,since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses… (Heb 12:1) Therefore,since we have been justified by faith… (Romans 5:1) Therefore,since we have such a hope… (2 Corinthians 3:12) Therefore,since we have this ministry… (2 Corinthians 4:1) Therefore,since we know the fear of the Lord… (2 Corinthians 5:11) Therefore,since we have these promises… (2 Corinthians 7:1) Therefore,since you have been raised with Christ… (Colossians 3:1) Therefore,since Christ suffered in his body… (1 Peter 4:1) Therefore,since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken… (Hebrews 12:28)

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.Hebrews 11:1 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. John 15:26-27 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. Romans 10:17Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him,…. Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. Luke 25:31a, 45For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10

The fear of the Lord prolongs life,     but the years of the wicked will be short. The hope of the righteous brings joy,     but the expectation of the wicked will perish. (Proverbs 10:27-28)  The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,     and whoever captures souls is wise. (Proverbs 11:30)Lord, you tie everything back to yourself: the fear of the Lord prolongs life, the hope of the righteous brings joy, and the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life. I pray that ______ would build their lives on reverence for you and find that it leads to gladness. Let their hope be anchored in you, where it can’t be disappointed. And make their lives fruitful — a tree of life to everyone around them. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer;     another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,     and one who waters will himself be watered. (Proverbs 11:24-25)Father, you turn the world’s math upside down: the one who gives freely grows richer, and the one who refreshes others is himself refreshed. I pray that ______ would be generous — with their time, their things, their attention, their encouragement. Pull them out of the tendency that keeps score. Let them discover the strange joy you promise to those who give. Make them a blessing wherever they go. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense,     but a man of understanding remains silent. Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets,     but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered. (Proverbs 11:12-13)Heavenly Father, you contrast the person who belittles a neighbor and spills secrets with the one who is trustworthy and keeps a confidence. I pray that ______ would be safe people — the kind a friend can tell something to without fear. Guard them from gossip, from the little thrill of passing along what isn’t theirs to share. Make them loyal, discreet, and kind. Let others know that a secret is secure with ______. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

When words are many, transgression is not lacking,     but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;     the heart of the wicked is of little worth. The lips of the righteous feed many,     but fools die for lack of sense. (Proverbs 10:19-21)Gracious God, you remind us that when words are many, sin is never far behind, but the one who holds his tongue is wise. I pray that ______ would learn the hard, good discipline of restraint — knowing when to speak and when to simply stop talking. In an age of constant posting and instant opinions, give them the rare wisdom of the closed mouth. And let the words they do speak be “choice silver” that feeds the people around them. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,     but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. Hatred stirs up strife,     but love covers all offenses. (Proverbs 10:11-12)God, you say the mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, and that love covers all offenses. I pray that ______ would have mouths like that — bringing life, not poison, into every room they enter. In a culture that rewards the clever insult and the pile-on, teach them to cover offenses with love instead of broadcasting them. Let their words refresh people. Make them quick to forgive and slow to wound. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,     but a just weight is his delight. When pride comes, then comes disgrace,     but with the humble is wisdom. (Proverbs 11:1-2)Lord, you care about honest scales — about whether a person can be trusted in the small, unseen transactions of everyday life. I pray that ______ would be trustworthy in the little things: their words, their work, their dealings with others. Guard them from the pride that always comes before a fall, and give them the humility that you say carries wisdom along with it. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,     but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out. (Proverbs 10:9)  The integrity of the upright guides them,     but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. (Proverbs 11:3)Father, you promise that the person who walks in integrity walks securely — no looking over the shoulder, no web of lies to keep track of. I pray that ______ would be people of integrity: the same in the dark as in the light, the same online as in person, the same alone as in a crowd. Let their honesty guide them and keep them on solid ground. Spare them the exhausting, crumbling life of the one who makes his ways crooked. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. Revelation 3:20It can be helpful to walk through a structured framework in prayer. This week, we will use the ACTS acronym as a framework. In this recording, there will be prompts and then a minute or two of opportunity to respond in personal prayer. The letter A in ACTS represents adoration. I encourage us to lift our hands high and praise God for his attributes. What makes God worthy of all our praise? Who has God shownhimself to be in his word and in our lives personally? I will praise you as long as I live,    and in your name I will lift up my hands. Psalm 63:4 The letter C in ACTS represents confession. I encourage us to move to a posture of kneeling as we confess our sins of actions, words, and thoughts as well as the underlying attitudes or beliefs to our gracious God.   If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9The letter T in ACTS represents thanksgiving. I encourage us to remain on our knees as we express gratitude for the many blessings that the Lord pours out on us. As you begin consider the question from Max Lucado: “What if you only had today what you thanked God for yesterday?” The Lord is good to everyone.    He showers compassion on all his creation.All of your works will thank you, Lord,    and your faithful followers will praise you. Psalm 145:9-10 The letter S in ACTS represents supplication. I encourage us to move to the sitting position with palms up and open as if to receive from the Lord. This Is an opportunity to bring to our good wise King our requests of need and desire. What do I need? What does my family need? What does my church need? What other needs come to mind about my work place, neighborhood, city or nation? Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Proverbs 9:13-18Lord, Folly throws a party too. She’s loud, she promises that “stolen water is sweet,” and she never once mentions where it ends. I pray that ______ would see through her. Give them the discernment to tell the two invitations apart: the one that leads to life and the one that quietly leads to death. Don’t let them be fooled by what’s thrilling in the moment and ruinous in the end. Seat them at wisdom’s table, help them shun Folly’s. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Proverbs 9:10-12Father, here is the foundation under all of it: the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. I pray that ______ would start there and build everything else on it not a fear that runs from you, but a reverence that runs to you. Let knowing you be the lens they see everything else through. Keep them from trying to be wise on their own terms, and root their whole life in awe of you. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Proverbs 9:1-6Heavenly Father, wisdom sets a table and sends out the invitation: “Come, eat… and walk in the way of insight.” I pray that ____ would accept it. Give them an appetite for the things that actually nourish your Word, your ways, your Church instead of the junk the world keeps serving. Where they’ve settled for empty calories, call them to the better feast. Let them leave their simple ways and truly live. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Proverbs 8:32-36Gracious God, you say that whoever finds wisdom finds life and favor from you but the one who misses it only harms himself. I pray that _______ would not miss it. Make them people who “watch daily” at wisdom’s gates, eager to listen and quick to obey. Guard them from the slow self-harm of ignoring you. And remind them that the wisdom they’re chasing has a name and a face your Son, in whom all the treasures of wisdom are hidden. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Proverbs 8:17-21God, you have shown us that wisdom is precious beyond gold or silver. You tell us that those who love wisdom will find her, and that her fruit is better than any treasure this world can offer. I pray that __________ would become a seeker of wisdom that they would listen for her voice, love her ways, walk in her paths of righteousness and justice. Reward their seeking, Lord. Let them discover that the riches and honor the world chases are with you, and far better than gold. Keep them from giving their hearts to cheaper things. Draw them to seek you early and find you for life. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Proverbs 8:10-13Lord, you tell us plainly that wisdom is worth more than silver and gold, more than anything a person could possibly want. I pray that ________ would believe that and live like it. In a world that measures everything by money, looks, and likes, teach them to value what you value. Tie the fear of the Lord to a hatred of evil in them, so that loving you and turning from sin become the same motion. Make wisdom something they treasure. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Proverbs 8:1-5Father, wisdom isn’t hiding. She stands at the crossroads and the city gates and calls out loud, to anyone willing to listen. I pray that _________ would hear her over the noise. Don’t let them be too distracted, too busy, or too cool to stop and pay attention. Where they have been simple or careless, give them ears to hear and a willingness to learn. Make them the kind of young person who wants to be wise. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

And now, O sons, listen to me,     and be attentive to the words of my mouth. Let not your heart turn aside to her ways;     do not stray into her paths, for many a victim has she laid low,     and all her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is the way to Sheol,     going down to the chambers of death. (Proverbs 7:24-27)Father, your warning is blunt because you love us: don’t let your heart turn aside; don’t stray onto that path. I pray that ______ would take it to heart while they are young. Keep their hearts from wandering toward what looks thrilling and ends in ruin, and where they have already drifted, turn them back. Thank you that the same Jesus who tells us the hard truth about death is the one who walked out of the tomb to give us life. Anchor them to Jesus. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

With much seductive speech she persuades him;     with her smooth talk she compels him. All at once he follows her,     as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast     till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare;     he does not know that it will cost him his life. (Proverbs 7:21-23)God, the saddest line in this chapter is that he “does not know that it will cost him his life.” Smooth words talked him into it, and he never saw the price tag. I pray that ______ would see the price tag. Protect them from the kind of temptation that feels like freedom and ends in a snare. When something promises them everything and asks them to ignore the cost, give them the clarity to turn and walk away. Don’t let them be led to the slaughter, Lord. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

For at the window of my house     I have looked out through my lattice, and I have seen among the simple,     I have perceived among the youths,     a young man lacking sense, passing along the street near her corner,     taking the road to her house in the twilight, in the evening,     at the time of night and darkness. (Proverbs 7:6-9)Gracious God, Solomon watches a young man wander toward trouble “in the twilight, in the evening” — not forced, just drifting, with no one steering. I pray that ______ would not be that kid: free to go anywhere, and wise enough not to go everywhere. Guard the in-between moments — the unsupervised hours, the choices made out of boredom. Give them plain, practical sense: the discernment to see a bad corner coming and simply not turn down it. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

My son, keep my words     and treasure up my commandments with you; keep my commandments and live;     keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; bind them on your fingers;     write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”     and call insight your intimate friend, (Proverbs 7:1-4)Lord, you tell us to keep wisdom close — as close as family, an intimate friend who is always in the room. I pray that ______ would treasure your words like that: not consulted in a crisis and forgotten by lunch, but kept as the apple of their eye. Write your teaching on their heart where they can’t misplace it. Let wisdom be the friend who is already there when temptation knocks at the door. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

My son, keep your father’s commandment,     and forsake not your mother’s teaching. Bind them on your heart always;     tie them around your neck. When you walk, they will lead you;     when you lie down, they will watch over you;     and when you awake, they will talk with you. For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light,     and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life, (Proverbs 6:20-23)Father, you give us your commandment as a lamp and your teaching as a light — something fixed to walk by when everything around us is dark. I pray that ______ would bind your Word to their heart and let it lead them: when they walk, when they lie down, when they wake up. Keep them from the lie that freedom means having no standard or boundaries at all. A person with no light doesn’t go free; they just get lost. Be their lamp, Lord. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

There are six things that the Lord hates,     seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue,     and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans,     feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies,     and one who sows discord among brothers. (Proverbs 6:16-19)Father, you are not neutral. You love what is good and you hate what destroys — pride, lying, violence, scheming, a heart bent on evil, a mouth that stirs up division. I pray that ______ would come to love and hate the same things you do, in a world that keeps insisting nothing is really wrong. Don’t let them get talked out of their own conscience. Give them the backbone to call good “good” and evil “evil,” even when it costs them something. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Go to the ant, O sluggard;     consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief,     officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer     and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you lie there, O sluggard?     When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber,     a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber,     and want like an armed man. (Proverbs 6:6-11)Father, you point a young person to an ant and tell them to learn something. I pray that ______ would learn it: that real diligence is quiet and self-directed and doesn’t wait to be told. The ant has no boss standing over her, and she works anyway. Build that in ______ — the kind of inner discipline that doesn’t need a teacher watching or a deadline looming. Keep them from the “little sleep, a little slumber” that feels harmless but ends in want. Teach them to govern themselves. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord,     and he ponders all his paths. The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him,     and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. He dies for lack of discipline,     and because of his great folly he is led astray. (Proverbs 5:21-23)Father, you see everything our young people do — not to catch them, but because you never look away from the ones you love. I pray that ______ would live like that’s true. Help them understand that sin doesn’t stay small; it ties knots that only get harder to undo. Give them the sense to turn early, while turning is still easy. And let being fully known by you feel like the safest thing in their lives. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

My son, be attentive to my wisdom;     incline your ear to my understanding, that you may keep discretion,     and your lips may guard knowledge. For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey,     and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as wormwood,     sharp as a two-edged sword. (Proverbs 5:1-4)Father, plenty of voices promise our young people love, belonging, and pleasure while hiding the cost. I pray that ______ would have the discernment to taste the sweetness and still spot the trap underneath. Guard their hearts and their bodies from things that look like love but aren’t. Teach them to ask not just ‘how does this feel right now?’ but ‘where does this go?’ For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Keep your heart with all vigilance,     for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech,     and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward,     and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet;     then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left;     turn your foot away from evil. (Proverbs 4:23-27)Father, this is the center of it: keep the heart, because everything else flows from there. I pray that ______ would guard what goes in — what they watch, who they listen to, where their eyes land out of habit. Help them look straight ahead instead of drifting toward every distraction, and to think about where a step leads before they take it. Keep them from veering off, Lord. Guard their hearts, and the rest will follow. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

My son, be attentive to my words;     incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight;     keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them,     and healing to all their flesh. (Proverbs 4:20-22)Lord, your Word isn’t just good advice; you call it life and healing. I pray that ______ would pay attention to it and keep it close, so it’s there when temptation, sadness, or confusion shows up — and it will. Let your truth be the first thing they reach for, not the last. Make them people who actually know your Word. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Do not enter the path of the wicked,     and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it;     turn away from it and pass on. … But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,     which shines brighter and brighter until full day. The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;     they do not know over what they stumble. (Proverbs 4:14-15, 18-19)Father, you set two roads in front of our kids and you don’t pretend they lead to the same place. I pray that ______ would steer clear of the wrong one altogether — not test it, not sample it, not assume they can handle it. Put them on the road that gets brighter the longer they walk it, and keep them out of the dark, where people trip over things they never saw coming. Be the daylight on their path. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Hear, my son, and accept my words,     that the years of your life may be many. I have taught you the way of wisdom;     I have led you in the paths of uprightness. When you walk, your step will not be hampered,     and if you run, you will not stumble. Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;     guard her, for she is your life. (Proverbs 4:10-13)Father, your wisdom is a clear road where a person can walk without tripping and run without falling. I pray that ______ would take your words seriously and hold onto the instruction they’ve been given, instead of dropping it the moment it feels inconvenient. Help them see that your commands aren’t in the way of a good life — they’re the shape of one. Don’t let them loosen their grip, Lord. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Get wisdom; get insight;     do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;     love her, and she will guard you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,     and whatever you get, get insight. Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;     she will honor you if you embrace her. She will place on your head a graceful garland;     she will bestow on you a beautiful crown. (Proverbs 4:5-9)Gracious God, Above everything else, you tell our young people to get wisdom. I pray that ______ would actually want it — not as a school subject, but as the thing worth building a life around. The world tells them to chase status, and applause; teach them that wisdom is the better crown. Let them prize it in the small, ordinary choices: what they watch, who they follow, how they spend a Tuesday. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

SecurityMy son, do not lose sight of these—     keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your soul     and adornment for your neck. Then you will walk on your way securely,     and your foot will not stumble. If you lie down, you will not be afraid;     when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden terror     or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, for the Lord will be your confidence     and will keep your foot from being caught. (Proverbs 3:21-26)Father, you offer our young people something the world is desperate for and cannot manufacture: security, steady footing, and sleep that is actually sweet. I pray that ______ would keep sound wisdom and discretion always in view, and that these would become life to their souls. Let them walk securely, without stumbling, through every uncertain season. When fear comes — of the future, of failure, of sudden trouble — let them not be afraid, because you are their confidence. Be the One who keeps their foot from being caught. And tonight, and every night, grant them the sweet, unworried sleep of a child who knows their Father is awake. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

TrustTrust in the Lord with all your heart,     and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him,     and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes;     fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh     and refreshment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:5-8)Father, this is the verse we long to see written on their hearts. I pray that ______ would trust you with all their heart — not halfway, not as a backup plan, but completely — and that they would stop leaning on their own understanding, which is so limited and so easily fooled. Teach them to acknowledge you in all their ways, the small decisions and the large ones, and keep your promise to make their paths straight. Guard them from being wise in their own eyes. Let the fear of the Lord turn them away from evil, and let that turning bring real healing and refreshment, all the way down to their bones. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

God Our Shieldhe stores up sound wisdom for the upright;     he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice     and watching over the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice     and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart,     and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you,     understanding will guard you. (Proverbs 2:7-11)Father, what a comfort to know that you are a shield to those who walk in integrity, that you yourself guard the paths of the upright and watch over the way of your saints. I pray that ______ would walk through this summer under your protection. Store up sound wisdom for them. Let wisdom come into their heart and knowledge become pleasant to their soul, so that doing right is not a burden but a joy. Set discretion and understanding around them like watchmen, guarding them from choices that would harm them and steering them onto every good path. Be their shield, Lord — especially in the moments when no one else is watching. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Seeking WisdomMy son, if you receive my words     and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom     and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight     and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver     and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord     and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom;     from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. (Proverbs 2:1-6)Father, wisdom is promised to those who go after it like treasure hunters — who dig, and call out, and refuse to give up. I pray that ______ would want your wisdom that much. Make them students of your Word, treasuring up your commandments and inclining their hearts to understand. Keep them from the laziness that wants truth handed over cheaply. Let them search for you as for hidden silver, and let them strike gold: the fear of the Lord and the knowledge of God himself. Remind them that you are not a stingy God — you give wisdom generously, from your own mouth, to all who ask. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Wisdom's CallWisdom cries aloud in the street,     in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;     at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?     How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing     and fools hate knowledge? If you turn at my reproof,     behold, I will pour out my spirit to you;     I will make my words known to you.” (Proverbs 1:20-23)Father, thank you that wisdom is not hidden away for the privileged few but cries aloud in the street, freely offered to anyone who will stop and listen. I pray that ______ would have ears to hear her over the noise of the world. Where they have loved being simple, or grown comfortable with scoffing, or treated the knowledge of you as boring — turn them, Lord. Let your loving reproof find them while they are young and tender. And to every heart that turns, keep your beautiful promise: pour out your Spirit on ______, and make your words known to them. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Resisting EnticementMy son, if sinners entice you,     do not consent. If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood;     let us ambush the innocent without reason; like Sheol let us swallow them alive,     and whole, like those who go down to the pit; we shall find all precious goods,     we shall fill our houses with plunder; throw in your lot among us;     we will all have one purse”— my son, do not walk in the way with them;     hold back your foot from their paths. (Proverbs 1:10-15)Father, the voices calling to our young people are loud, persuasive, and often dressed up as friendship. I pray that ______ would have the courage to say a clear, simple “no” when sinners entice them — even when the whole crowd has said yes. Give them eyes to see where a path leads before they ever set a foot on it. Guard them from the lie that belonging requires sin, that everyone is doing it, that just this once won’t matter. Surround them instead with friends who love what you love. And when the pressure is greatest, let your voice be the one they cannot ignore. Hold back their foot, Lord, from every path that runs to ruin. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

ReverenceThe fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;     fools despise wisdom and instruction. Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,     and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head     and pendants for your neck. (Proverbs 1:7-9)Father, you are the beginning and the end of all true wisdom. I pray for ______ today, that the fear of the Lord would take root in their heart as the very first thing — before knowledge, before achievement, before opinion. Give them holy wonder at who you are. Let reverence for you be the lens through which they see everything else, so that they would never despise your wisdom or grow bored with your instruction. Cause them to treasure the teaching of those you have placed over them, and to wear obedience like a graceful garland rather than a heavy chain. May they learn early that to fear you is not to shrink away from you but to draw near. For your glory and their good, in Jesus’ name, amen.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.Psalm 1071 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;    his love endures forever.2 Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—    those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,3 those he gathered from the lands,    from east and west, from north and south.4 Some wandered in desert wastelands,    finding no way to a city where they could settle.5 They were hungry and thirsty,    and their lives ebbed away.6 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,    and he delivered them from their distress.7 He led them by a straight way    to a city where they could settle.8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love    and his wonderful deeds for mankind,9 for he satisfies the thirsty    and fills the hungry with good things.10 Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness,    prisoners suffering in iron chains,11 because they rebelled against God’s commands    and despised the plans of the Most High.12 So he subjected them to bitter labor;    they stumbled, and there was no one to help.13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,    and he saved them from their distress.14 He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,    and broke away their chains.15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love    and his wonderful deeds for mankind,16 for he breaks down gates of bronze    and cuts through bars of iron.17 Some became fools through their rebellious ways    and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.18 They loathed all food    and drew near the gates of death.19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,    and he saved them from their distress.20 He sent out his word and healed them;    he rescued them from the grave.21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love    and his wonderful deeds for mankind.22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings    and tell of his works with songs of joy.23 Some went out on the sea in ships;    they were merchants on the mighty waters.24 They saw the works of the Lord,    his wonderful deeds in the deep.25 For he spoke and stirred up a tempest    that lifted high the waves.26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;    in their peril their courage melted away.27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards;    they were at their wits’ end.28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,    and he brought them out of their distress.29 He stilled the storm to a whisper;    the waves of the sea were hushed.30 They were glad when it grew calm,    and he guided them to their desired haven.31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love    and his wonderful deeds for mankind.32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people    and praise him in the council of the elders.33 He turned rivers into a desert,    flowing springs into thirsty ground,34 and fruitful land into a salt waste,    because of the wickedness of those who lived there.35 He turned the desert into pools of water    and the parched ground into flowing springs;36 there he brought the hungry to live,    and they founded a city where they could settle.37 They sowed fields and planted vineyards    that yielded a fruitful harvest;38 he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,    and he did not let their herds diminish.39 Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled    by oppression, calamity and sorrow;40 he who pours contempt on nobles    made them wander in a trackless waste.41 But he lifted the needy out of their affliction    and increased their families like flocks.42 The upright see and rejoice,    but all the wicked shut their mouths.43 Let the one who is wise heed these things    and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.

Acts 217 “‘In the last days, God says,    I will pour out my Spirit on all people.Your sons and daughters will prophesy,    your young men will see visions,    your old men will dream dreams.18 Even on my servants, both men and women,    I will pour out my Spirit in those days,    and they will prophesy.19 I will show wonders in the heavens above    and signs on the earth below,    blood and fire and billows of smoke.20 The sun will be turned to darkness    and the moon to blood    before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.21 And everyone who calls    on the name of the Lord will be saved.Revelation 2217 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

Psalm 92A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day.1 It is good to praise the Lord    and make music to your name, O Most High,2 proclaiming your love in the morning    and your faithfulness at night,3 to the music of the ten-stringed lyre    and the melody of the harp.4 For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord;    I sing for joy at what your hands have done.5 How great are your works, Lord,    how profound your thoughts!6 Senseless people do not know,    fools do not understand,7 that though the wicked spring up like grass    and all evildoers flourish,    they will be destroyed forever.8 But you, Lord, are forever exalted.9 For surely your enemies, Lord,    surely your enemies will perish;    all evildoers will be scattered.10 You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox;    fine oils have been poured on me.11 My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries;    my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes.12 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,    they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;13 planted in the house of the Lord,    they will flourish in the courts of our God.14 They will still bear fruit in old age,    they will stay fresh and green,15 proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;    he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”

Psalm 841 How lovely is your dwelling place,    Lord Almighty!2 My soul yearns, even faints,    for the courts of the Lord;my heart and my flesh cry out    for the living God.3 Even the sparrow has found a home,    and the swallow a nest for herself,    where she may have her young—a place near your altar,    Lord Almighty, my King and my God.4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;    they are ever praising you.5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka,    they make it a place of springs;    the autumn rains also cover it with pools.7 They go from strength to strength,    till each appears before God in Zion.8 Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty;    listen to me, God of Jacob.9 Look on our shield, O God;    look with favor on your anointed one.10 Better is one day in your courts    than a thousand elsewhere;I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;    the Lord bestows favor and honor;no good thing does he withhold    from those whose walk is blameless.12 Lord Almighty,    blessed is the one who trusts in you.

John 15“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command.  I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.Psalm 807 Restore us, God Almighty;    make your face shine on us,    that we may be saved.8 You transplanted a vine from Egypt;    you drove out the nations and planted it.9 You cleared the ground for it,    and it took root and filled the land.10 The mountains were covered with its shade,    the mighty cedars with its branches.11 Its branches reached as far as the Sea,    its shoots as far as the River.12 Why have you broken down its walls    so that all who pass by pick its grapes?13 Boars from the forest ravage it,    and insects from the fields feed on it.14 Return to us, God Almighty!    Look down from heaven and see!Watch over this vine,15     the root your right hand has planted,    the son you have raised up for yourself.16 Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire;    at your rebuke your people perish.17 Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand,    the son of man you have raised up for yourself.18 Then we will not turn away from you;    revive us, and we will call on your name.19 Restore us, Lord God Almighty;    make your face shine on us,    that we may be saved.

Psalm 241 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,    the world, and all who live in it;2 for he founded it on the seas    and established it on the waters.3 Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?    Who may stand in his holy place?4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,    who does not trust in an idol    or swear by a false god.5 They will receive blessing from the Lord    and vindication from God their Savior.6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,    who seek your face, God of Jacob.JOHN 14“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”PSALM 16:11You make known to me the path of life;    you will fill me with joy in your presence,    with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

John 10:11-1811 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”Luke 15:4-7Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

John 10Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Jesus said to her, “I AM the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”John 11:25-26

Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12John 9:As he was passing by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” Jesus answered. “This came about so that God’s works might be displayed in him. 4 We must do the works of him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”6 After he said these things he spit on the ground, made some mud from the saliva, and spread the mud on his eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he left, washed, and came back seeing. 32 Throughout history no one has ever heard of someone opening the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he wouldn’t be able to do anything.”35 Jesus heard that they had thrown the man out, and when he found him, he asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”36 “Who is he, Sir, that I may believe in him?” he asked.37 Jesus answered, “You have seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”38 “I believe, Lord!” he said, and he worshiped him.

Jesus declared, “I AM the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. vs 35