Week: Holy Spirit Adventures - the Book of Acts
Each day we will simply pray (P.R.A.Y.) together.
P: PAUSING to be still.
R: REJOICING with a Memory Verse and REFLECTING on some verses from the Bible.
A: ASKING God to help us and others.
Y: saying YES to God’s ways.
We start by pausing and taking a deep breath:
In and out.
In and out.
We remember that God is here, and so together we prepare ourselves to be with God.
Pause
Holy Spirit, like the disciples in the upper room on the day of Pentecost, we’re patiently waiting for You to fill us with Your power and with Your presence. We’re ready for You to send us on new adventures.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Selah
Micah 3:8
But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord.
Micah 3:8 (NIV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Yesterday, we read about a man who was healed by the Holy Spirit. Today, we’re REFLECTING on what Peter said to those around him who couldn’t believe it had happened.
Read by Selah
Acts 3:11-12,16
While the man was holding on to Peter and John, all the people were amazed and ran to them at Solomon’s Porch. When Peter saw this, he said to them, “People of Israel, why are you surprised? It was faith in Jesus that made this crippled man well. You can see this man, and you know him. He was made completely well because of trust in Jesus, and you all saw it happen!
Acts 3:11-12, 16 (NCV)
Peter and John knew that they couldn’t heal anyone on their own, but they did have faith in Jesus. They trusted that Jesus could heal people because they’d seen him do it many times. And they also knew that Jesus had promised the disciples that they would be filled with the same Holy Spirit that had been in him.
The no-longer crippled man was a real-life example that this was all true. The Holy Spirit was in Peter and John, and was working powerfully through them. And what’s also amazing is that Jesus can work powerfully through us by his Holy Spirit too.
In today’s Bible reading, Peter asks the crowds, ‘why are you surprised?’ Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: Can we think of a time when we were really surprised? What were we surprised about?
And now let’s ask God to help us and others.
Lord Jesus, to be honest, sometimes we feel like we’ve got lots of faith, and at other times our faith feels tiny. But you promise that even a tiny bit of faith in you – faith as small as mustard seed – can move mountains. So we ask you to help us to trust your Holy Spirit to move in and through our lives just like you did the disciples.
Let’s also ASK God to draw near to those who have been patiently praying for help but are still waiting for their prayers to be answered.
Heavenly Father, we ASK that You would bring comfort and peace of mind to those who are waiting for answers to their prayers. Give them patience and hope as they put their trust in You.
As we read the Bible again, let’s listen for a word or a phrase that the Holy Spirit might want to say to us from today’s verses.
Acts 3:11-12,16
While the man was holding on to Peter and John, all the people were amazed and ran to them at Solomon’s Porch. When Peter saw this, he said to them, “People of Israel, why are you surprised? It was faith in Jesus that made this crippled man well. You can see this man, and you know him. He was made completely well because of trust in Jesus, and you all saw it happen!
Acts 3:11-12, 16 (NCV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Holy Spirit, we say YES to going on adventures with You. We say YES to being amazed by the power of Your Holy Spirit in our lives and in those around us.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
Micah 3:8
But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord.
Micah 3:8 (NIV)
Let’s put a hand on our heart.
Father God, fill us with Your love. Help us to love You, and everything that You’ve made.
Let’s point to our eyes.
Lord Jesus, help us to see You, and to see others the way that You see them too.
Let’s point to our ears.
Holy Spirit, help us to hear You, and give us courage to do what You say.
Chris lives in Melbourne, Australia with his wife and two boys. He works for 24-7 Prayer Australia and Red Church and is also a professional musician. When he’s not working or drumming Chris enjoys going on long hikes in the mountains with his boys and playing table tennis.
Selah is 14 and she lives in the middle of The USA in Kansas City, with her parents, sisters and dogs. Selah loves adventures and plays (and watches) all kinds of sports. She also enjoys science and likes inventing and building things…especially if they help others in some way.
