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Author: Nathaniel Colt

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Learn 8.4 Devotionals (for Sunday 6/19) – Thursday

 

Key Ideas

 

Faith Fact

I believe God can answer prayer.

 

Faith Verse

John 14:12 (NLT)

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done.”

 

Question of the Day: Where is a place you like to spend quiet time in prayer?

Read about It

Read: Matthew 6:5–8

Prayer is talking to God; it’s not a public performance. Sometimes when we pray, we get so concerned about what others may be thinking that we forget to focus on the One we are talking to. God doesn’t care if you use fancy words or if you speak loudly. He doesn’t care if everyone in the room is looking at you because you drew their attention.

God looks at your heart. When you pray, you are talking to Him as your best friend. He wants you to come to Him not so others can see you, but because you trust in who He is. You can pray in a large group setting with others around, but it is just as important to pray on your own and spend quiet time with God. No matter where you are or who’s around, you can believe God will hear and answer your prayer.

Talk about It

 

Question 1. What does the Bible say about the people who like to pray loudly for everyone to hear and see them?

Answer 1. They are hypocrites (Matthew 6:5).

 
Question 2. Should we only pray in public places?

Answer 2. No, we should also pray on our own. (Matthew 6:6)

 
Question 3. Where is a place that you can spend quiet time with God?

Answer 3. Answers may vary.

 
Question 4. Does God know everything we need?

Answer 4. Yes (Matthew 6:8)

 
Question 5. What does your prayer time look like?

Answer 5. Answers may vary.

 

Pray about It

Dear God, thank You that I can come to You anytime and talk to You about anything on my heart. Please help me to care less about what others think of me and more about growing in my relationship with You each day. I pray that I will have a heart that is focused on You and that I will grow in my walk with You. Amen.

 

 

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Learn 8.4 Devotionals (for Sunday 6/19) – Wednesday

 

 

Key Ideas

 

Faith Fact

I believe God can answer prayer.

 

Faith Verse

John 14:12 (NLT)

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done.”

 

Question of the Day: Who is someone you pray with?

Read about It

Read: Matthew 18:19–20

When we read Matthew 18:19, we might think that when we pray with other people for something, God is going to answer with exactly what we want. But when we pray and ask God for things, we want to be sure we know God is good so that even if He answers us differently from what we expect, we still trust in Him.

These verses talk about the importance of having people in our life to pray and believe with us that God can answer our prayers. We know that there is power in prayer and in encouraging one another to trust in God together. Together, we can agree that God is with us and never leaves or forsakes us.

Talk about It

 

Question 1. Where is God when His followers gather?

Answer 1. He is there among us. (Matthew 18:20)

 
Question 2. Who are some people in your life you turn to when you need prayer?

Answer 2. Answers may vary.

 
Question 3. How are you encouraged when people pray with you?

Answer 3. Answers may vary.

 
Question 4. What are some ways you can encourage others in prayer?

Answer 4. Answers may vary.

 
Question 5. What is something you are trusting and believing God for?

Answer 5. Answers may vary.

 

Pray about It

Dear God, thank You for people in my life who I know will pray with me. Please continue to place good friends in my life who will encourage me to trust in You. I thank You that You hear us when we pray. Amen.

 

 

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Learn 8.4 Devotionals (for Sunday 6/19) – Tuesday

 

Key Ideas

 

Faith Fact

I believe God can answer prayer.

 

Faith Verse

John 14:12 (NLT)

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done.”

 

Question of the Day: How has God used you to help someone?

Read about It

Read: James 2:14–17

Sometimes God allows us to see people’s needs so that He can use us to help them. Imagine seeing a kid at school who has torn-up clothes, no food for lunch, and holes in his shoes. You think, “I feel sorry for this kid.” But then you do nothing to help him. What good is it if you see a need but don’t do anything about it? That’s what these verses in James are talking about.

Our faith in God should lead us to pray for people and to see people where they are. God may also place it on our heart to help people. We can believe God will answer our prayers for other people, and sometimes we are part of His answer! Listen and be open as the Holy Spirit leads you.

Talk about It

 

Question 1. What are the two things verse 15 talks about a person not having?

Answer 1. Food or clothing (James 2:15)

 
Question 2. What happens when we see a need but don’t offer to help someone in need?

Answer 2. Answers may vary.

 
Question 3. When was a time God spoke to you to help someone?

Answer 3. Answers may vary.

 
Question 4. When was a time God used someone to help you when you had a need?

Answer 4. Answers may vary.

 
Question 5. Who may God use you to help this week?

Answer 5. Answers may vary.

 

 

Pray about It

Dear God, thank You that my life can be used to be a blessing to someone. God, let me see people the way You do and let me listen for You to lead me to help. Give me a heart of compassion that leads to action and helping others. Amen.

 

 

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Learn 8.4 Devotionals (for Sunday 6/19) – Monday

 

Key Ideas

 

Faith Fact

I believe God can answer prayer.

 

Faith Verse

John 14:12 (NLT)

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done.”

 

Question of the Day: What prayers do you need God to answer?

Read about It

Read: 2 Kings 6:14–23

The prophet Elisha believed God could—and would—answer his prayers. In the Bible story, Elisha prayed for three miracles and God did each one. First, an enemy army found Elisha’s hiding place, and Elisha prayed his servant would see God’s army protecting them. Next, the enemy attacked, and Elisha prayed they would go blind. Finally, Elisha led the enemy to Israel’s king and prayed that they would be able to see again. God answered all his prayers! Elisha told the king of Israel to have mercy on the captured soldiers, feed them, and send them home.

Elisha could have been scared when a whole army came to his city looking just for him. Instead, he was brave, because he knew he could ask God for help. God can answer our prayers too!

Talk about It

 

Question 1. Why was Elisha’s servant scared when he went outside early in the morning?

Answer 1. “There were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere.” (2 Kings 6:15)

 
Question 2. What did Elisha’s servant see after the Lord opened his eyes?

Answer 2. “The hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.” (2 Kings 6:17)

 
Question 3. Why did Elisha ask God to make the enemy soldiers blind?

Answer 3. So they would not attack and Elisha could lead them safely to the king of Israel.

 
Question 4. What does this story teach us?

Answer 4. God answers prayer. We can ask God for specific things. God is protecting us in ways we can’t see. Other answers are possible.

 
 Question 5. What is one prayer you need God to answer?

Answer 5. Answers will vary.

 

 

Pray about It

Dear God, thank You for loving me so much that You hear and answer my prayers. Help my faith to grow, and open my eyes to Your miracles all around me. Amen.

 

 

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Learn 8.3 Devotionals (for Sunday 6/12) – Thursday

 

Key Ideas

 

Faith Fact

I believe God can heal.

 

Faith Verse

John 14:12 (NLT)

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done.”

 

Question of the Day: Have you ever prayed for someone to be healed?

Read about It

Read: 1 Peter 2:24

When Jesus died on the Cross, He didn’t die only so that our sins can be forgiven. He died on the Cross to overcome death and sickness also. Jesus did that for each one of us because He loves us so very much. Nothing is stronger than He is! When we pray to Jesus, we can ask Him to heal us or anyone else. We can believe that Jesus will heal them because of what He overcame on the Cross.

Talk about It

 

Question 1. Can we experience healing today?

Answer 1. Yes

 
Question 2. How can we experience healing?

Answer 2. Answers may vary.

 
Question 3. Besides healing, what else did Jesus’ death on the Cross do for us?

Answer 3. Made a way for our sins to be forgiven (1 Peter 2:24)

 
Question 4. When have you prayed for someone and Jesus healed them?

Answer 4. Answers may vary.

 
Question 5. How do you feel knowing Jesus’ death on the Cross provides healing for us?

Answer 5. Answers may vary.

 

Pray about It

Dear Jesus, thank You for dying on the Cross so my sins may be forgiven and I may experience the gift of healing. I know that You overcame death and sickness when You rose again. Thank You that today we can experience Your power of healing. Amen.

 

 

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Learn 8.3 Devotionals (for Sunday 6/12) – Wednesday

 

 

Key Ideas

 

Faith Fact

I believe God can heal.

 

Faith Verse

John 14:12 (NLT)

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done.”

 

Question of the Day: When was a time that you didn’t know what to say when you prayed?

Read about It

Read: Romans 8:26

Have you ever had a time where you had no clue about how to pray for someone or something that had happened? Maybe you found out someone was sick, or maybe something really scary or bad happened. Everyone experiences those times. That’s when you can trust God’s Holy Spirit to lead you, direct you, and even pray for you! Although we may not know what to pray for, God does, and we can turn to Him. Let’s choose to always pray to God and trust in who He is.

Talk about It

 

Question 1. Have you ever had a time when you didn’t know what to pray for?

Answer 1. Answers may vary.

 
Question 2. Who can we rely on during those moments?

Answer 2. God’s Holy Spirit

 
Question 3. Did you know that you can allow the Holy Spirit to pray for you? How does that make you feel?

Answer 3. Answers may vary.

 
Question 4. What is something you can ask the Holy Spirit to pray with you for right now?

Answer 4. Answers may vary.

 
Question 5. When was a time God has helped you when you didn’t know what to do?

Answer 5. Answers may vary.

 

Pray about It

Dear God, thank You that in times when I don’t know what to do or say that I have the Holy Spirit as my Helper. Amen.

 

 

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Learn 8.3 Devotionals (for Sunday 6/12) – Tuesday

 

Key Ideas

 

Faith Fact

I believe God can heal.

 

Faith Verse

John 14:12 (NLT)

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done.”

 

Question of the Day: When have you stopped what you were doing to help someone?

Read about It

Read: Matthew 14:13–21

Jesus was getting in a boat so He could go somewhere to be alone, but then He saw a large crowd of people behind Him who had followed Him from several towns. Many of these people knew that Jesus had the power to heal them. In that moment, Jesus could have continued on to a place to be alone, but He stopped to help people who were in need. He got out of the boat and healed those who were sick. Later in this story, Jesus performed one of His most famous miracles and fed more than five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish.

The beauty of this miracle of healing is that Jesus stopped what He was doing to be with the people and meet them where they were. As believers, we know that Jesus is always with us through the Holy Spirit. When we are sick or hurting, we can turn to Him and find He is already with us and wants to meet our need.

Talk about It

 

Question 1. What was Jesus originally going to do in this story?

Answer 1. Get on a boat to be alone in a remote area (Matthew 14:13)

 
Question 2. What did Jesus do when He got off the boat?

Answer 2. He had compassion toward the people who had followed Him and He healed the sick. (Matthew 14:14)

 
Question 3. Why do you think Jesus had compassion toward the people?

Answer 3. Answers may vary.

 
Question 4.When did you need to stop what you were doing to help someone?

Answer 4. Answers may vary.

 
Question 5. How can you respond to people the way that Jesus responds to them?

Answer 5. Answers may vary.

 

 

Pray about It

Dear God, thank You that You are never too busy for people. Thank You for Your heart of compassion toward those who seek You. Thank You that you meet us where we are. God, help me respond to others in that same way. Thank You that whenever I need You, You are already right there. Amen.

 

 

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Learn 8.3 Devotionals (for Sunday 6/12) – Monday

 

Key Ideas

 

Faith Fact

I believe God can heal.

 

Faith Verse

John 14:12 (NLT)

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done.”

 

Question of the Day: What is something you need or have needed healing from?

Read about It

Read: 2 Kings 5:1–14

Has God ever asked you to do something, but you wanted to do things your own way instead? In today’s Bible verses, a strong and mighty warrior named Naaman suffered from a disease and he wanted to be healed. He went on a mission to find someone who could heal him, and he found the prophet Elisha. The prophet gave him simple instructions: Go wash seven times in the Jordan River. However, the warrior responded in anger. He didn’t want to do what Elisha said because he wanted Elisha to heal him in a big way. When his soldiers encouraged him to simply obey what Elisha had said, Naaman finally did and was completely healed.

There will be times in our life that God tells us to do something, and we may not want to do it. In those times, we need to have faith, trust in what God says, and ask Him for help to obey.

Talk about It

 

Question 1. What did Naaman suffer with?

Answer 1. Leprosy (2 Kings 5:1)

 
Question 2. Whose house did Naaman go to for his healing?

Answer 2. Elisha (2 Kings 5:9)

 
Question 3. How many times was Naaman to wash in the Jordan River?

Answer 3. Seven times (2 Kings 5:10)

 
Question 4. How did Naaman respond at first to what Elisha had said?

Answer 4. He went away in anger. (2 Kings 5:11–12)

 
Question 5. What happened after Naaman did what Elisha had told him to do?

Answer 5. He was completely healed. (2 Kings 11: 4)

 

 

Pray about It

Dear God, thank You that You still heal people today. I pray that when You tell me to do something, that I will respond in obedience and not in anger. God, help me keep my heart in tune with what You are saying. I thank You that even when we respond in anger, You still offer us healing if we choose to follow You. God, help me to obey Your voice always. Amen.