Week: Holy Spirit Adventures
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 Bella
John 3:8
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.
John 3:8 (NIVUK)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today, we’re REFLECTING on what happened after Paul and Silas were falsely accused and beaten in the city of Philippi.
Read by Bella
Acts 16:23-25
Then Paul and Silas were thrown into jail, and the jailer was ordered to guard them carefully. When he heard this order, he put them far inside the jail and pinned their feet down between large blocks of wood. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs to God as the other prisoners listened.
Acts 16:23-25 (NCV)
Paul and Silas were bruised and bleeding, locked away in a dark prison cell. Most people would probably feel sad and scared if it was them in that prison cell, and maybe Paul and Silas felt a bit like this at first. But the writer of today’s Bible passage tells us that Paul and Silas chose to focus on God and God’s goodness instead of the bad things that had happened to them. They were filled with the Holy Spirit, and this gave them the strength to pray and sing songs to God.
As Paul and Silas prayed, and as they sang songs of worship to God, the other prisoners listened. Amazingly, the dark prison cells were filled with the sounds of hope that night!
Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: What was the last song that we sang out loud?
And now let’s ask God to help us and others.
Loving God, we want to be a bit more like Paul and Silas. We ASK You to help us focus on you and your goodness, and not just on what’s happening to us, especially when things aren’t going well. Fill us with your Holy Spirit so that we will always be filled with hope.
There are more than 10 million people in prisons around the world, and there are lots of Christian organisations who work in those prisons, visiting the prisoners and sharing the love and hope of Jesus with them.* Let’s pray for them now.
Father God, we thank you for all the Christian organisations who work with those in prison. We ASK you to give them the resources they need to continue bringing the love and hope of Jesus into these dark places.
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 16:23-25
Then Paul and Silas were thrown into jail, and the jailer was ordered to guard them carefully. When he heard this order, he put them far inside the jail and pinned their feet down between large blocks of wood. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs to God as the other prisoners listened.
Acts 16:23-25 (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 trusting you when things are dark and difficult in our lives. And we say YES to choosing to praise you too – because you are always good.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
John 3:8
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.
John 3:8 (NIVUK)
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.
*World Prison Population List (https://www.prisonstudies.org/)
Phil lives close to a beach in the north of England with his wife, his daughters and his dogs. Phil works for 24-7 Prayer, mostly doing Lectio stuff, and helping to run Prayer Spaces in Schools. He runs a lot, usually for long distances. He likes curry, mountains, reading books and he still plays Pokemon Go.
Bella is 13 years old and lives in Buckinghamshire, England, with her mum, dad and cocker spaniel Summer. She loves art, performing and Jesus!
