Week: The Way of the Kingdom of God
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
Lord Jesus, we open our minds to learn new things, so that we know more about You. We open our hearts to be filled with Your love, so that we become more like You. And we open our hands to receive all we need to live our lives for You.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Kumi
Matthew 6:10
May your kingdom come and what you want be done,
here on earth as it is in heaven.
Matthew 6:10 (NCV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today, we’re REFLECTING on two sentences from the apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia, in which he describes the ‘fruit of the Spirit’.
Read by Kumi
Galatians 5:22-23
But the Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. There is no law that says these things are wrong.
Galatians 5:22-23 (NCV)
Just before these verses, Paul writes a very different list, including things like, ‘hating, being jealous, being selfish, making people angry with each other, causing divisions among people’, and more (Galatians 5:19-21 NCV). ‘Those who do these things, warns Paul, ‘will not inherit God’s kingdom.’
But then he describes a better way to live – what our actions will look like if God is in charge of our lives and if we follow the way of God’s Kingdom. If we choose to welcome the Spirit of God into our lives, if we follow the way of God’s Kingdom, then these attitudes and actions will begin to grow in us, just like fruit on a healthy tree.
Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: Have we ever picked fruit to eat straight off of a tree? When was it? Where were we?
Let’s all close our eyes and listen to Paul’s list of the fruit of the Holy Spirit one more time… Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Let’s ASK the Holy Spirit to grow one of these in our lives a bit more this week.
In the verses before today’s Bible reading, Paul lists attitudes and actions that are the opposite of the Holy Spirit’s fruit, but they can still grow in people’s lives (even our lives!) – things like, ‘hating, being jealous, being selfish, making people angry with each other, causing divisions among people’. They’re like rotten fruit.
Father God, we thank You that you still love us even when there are things in our lives that aren’t good. Forgive us for the rotten fruit in our lives. We ASK You to grow the good fruit of the Spirit in our lives instead.
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.
Galatians 5:22-23
But the Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. There is no law that says these things are wrong.
Galatians 5:22-23 (NCV)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Lord Jesus, we say YES to seeking first God’s Kingdom in our lives, and in the world – to putting God first and living the way You show us to. We say YES to the fruit of the Spirit growing in our lives, through our actions and attitudes.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
Matthew 6:10
May your kingdom come and what you want be done,
here on earth as it is in heaven.
Matthew 6:10 (NCV)
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.
Kumkanikazi (Kumi) is 12 years old, and lives In Johannesburg, South Africa with her parents and 4 siblings.
You’ll often find her in a stylish outfit, baking up a storm or creating videos.
