Prayer Weeks - One Sunday Lesson, Followed by Prayer Stations

Prayer Wk 1

Opening Acts 

 Lords Prayer in a bag – give each table a bag and a piece of paper with the line written on it – for “posters” use banners they hold up

Lords Prayer Scriptures 

                Matthew 6:9-13 – look at in different versions on handout

Breaking it Down  

        Video: RightNow Media – ACTS prayer (3:40)

        Have Lords Prayer color books for younger kids on hand pin 

ACTS – Break the prayer apart into these four parts as a table

              Children can color the parts diff colors Lords PrayerColouring

1. Adoration    -  Praising, worshipping God, for Who He is
2. Confession    -  Asking God to cleanse us from sin
3. Thanksgiving    -  Believing, acknowledging God's grace
4. Supplication    -  Our specific prayer requests

Using the Lord’s Prayer as a Model 

What did Jesus say when He told us to pray like this? 

What are some downfalls of route prayers?

We have used the ACTS prompt to help us break down the Lord’s Prayer. What are some others?

Video: RightNow Media – What is Prayer – LOVE!

So remember…the Lord’s Prayer is a model! God wants CONVERSATION with us – He wants RELATIONSHIP with us!! The ACTS is simply a guide to make that happen. 

Have tables pray together in closing – using the ACTS if it helps – as a way of moving closer to God.

Take Home: Name of God Dominoes

The following Sunday we did Prayer Stations. Some stations had items to take home for families to make their own prayer stations, others had materials to make objects (like a balloon flower). For prayer station ideas, visit my Pinterest All Church Board.

Names of God #4 El Roi

El Roi – The God Who Sees

Open

White sheet on each table that has already been written on with a white color crayon. “ I wish you saw what I see, Love God”

People at the take take turns painting a stripe across with water paint to uncover the message

Sometimes what God sees isn’t what others see…we can only see things with our eyes...but what are some other ways we “see”/experience things?

El Roi

                Only occurrence in the Bible is Genesis 16:13-14 said by Hagar

                Means – the God who sees – but also deeper than physical seeing someone – who knows everything about me

Scripture Time

(Handouts for adults and teens)

                Background to our story today

a.       Genesis 16:1-6 – I read

b.       then we discuss

Table work – go through handout

a.        God saw Hagar – Gen 16:7-12

b.      Hagar saw God – Gen 13-16

c.       Hagar submitted to God

Group discuss above

                V. 8 – The Lord knows why Hagar run – yet why did He ask this?? (To get her to think about the reality of the situation)  **Note God always expects obedience before He blesses

Promise from today

                Psalm 131:3  

                Psalm 139:15 

                Mirror Project

                        Give each household a mirror and window marker to write the above scripture references on. They can then take them home and use the window markers to write the verses on mirrors in their house to remind them of the promise that God sees and loves them

Take Homes

                Kids – Song sheet for younger

                Adults – Blue Letter Bible printout and the journal on facing our own trials

Names of God #3 - Abba Father

Abba – Father God

Open

Have Heart cut-outs at each table (One up front with DADDY)

They write a terms of endearments…nicknames we use for loved ones…on

Why do we use? Why are they special?

“Don’t call me ‘Baby’, ‘Babe’ or ‘Love’ unless I am the only one you’re calling that”

            Abba-   

                                Abba – Father God

                                When you have hit rock-bottom – who do you cry out to?

                                Jesus used it the night before the cross

Scriptures

             Have Bible races to see who can find the following passages first; ask for different volunteers to read and then discuss as a large group

Mark 14:32-41

              Jesus went to God in prayer because He knew God was His source of strength

               His friends fell asleep

Galations 4:1-7

                We have Jesus in our hearts so we too cry ABBA

              

Parable of Prodigal Son

                Jesus taught this parable to show us how God’s love for His children work

                Watch the Skit Guys Prodigal Son

                                What did you notice?

                                What did the son want?

                                Why did the father not force him to stay? (How is this like God?)

                                When the son hit rock bottom, who did he turn to?

                                How did the father receive the son?

Putting it All Together and Writing a Thank You

                ABBA Father represents the unending LOVE God has for us

                Do you need to believe and accept that love for yourself?

                Maybe your challenge is to love someone else with that kind of Love?

                Take a new heart and write a thank you note to God thanking Him for the Love He has given you. Or maybe you want to write a thank you note to someone who has given you unconditional love like the father in the Prodigal Son Parable. Give it to them or mail it to them this week.

Take Home:

                Prodigal Son sticker scene from Oriental Trading

                My Father Is List for daily devotion time

                

                

Names of God #2 - El Olam Everlasting God

What does it mean – God is everlasting?

      As groups come in, they can take a verse and make a poster to illustrate

      As they present discuss then how we can apply this to our own lives

Passages: Ps 90:2; Ps 135:13; Ps 145:13; Ps 33:11 and Pr 19:21; Ps 100:5; Deu 33:27a; Is 40:28-29; Is 26:4; Num 23:19; James 1:17 and Heb 13:8; Rev 1:8

El Olam – Everlasting God

                                First used by Abraham

                                Also used in Jeremiah 10:10 and Isaiah 26:4

Abraham plants a tree

            What do you remember about Abraham’s life so far this summer – how would you feel if you were a member of his household and had been wandering around with him, not knowing where you will settle or for how long?

            What are some things in your life unsettled? How do these things make you feel?

Background – Abimelek had asked for a treaty with Abraham and his people and Sarah had recently given birth to Isaac

                What are some of the things the pioneer settlers did when they moved into this area and wanted to claim their homestead?

                Genesis 21:22-34 – read together and then discuss the following questions

*How was God faithful to Abraham as he waited for the fulfillment of God’s promise (Gen 21:22) What does this reveal about God? About waiting?

* Why was the incident with Abimelech and the agreement they reached important to Abraham?

*What did Abraham do after he reached an agreement with Abimelech (21:33)?

*Why do you think Abraham uses this new name – Everlasting God – now?

*The Tamarask tree is a large, long-living tree that grows in sandy soil and produces rich, green foliage that provides grazing for animals and shade from the heat of the sun.

*What connected do you see between Abe planting the tree on land that was promised him, BUT did not yet belong to him and his worshiping El Olam here? (Gen 22:34)

Creating a Prayer Garden

                Each family unit will create a fairy garden with a well and a “tree” to take home for a Prayer Station to help them focus on

Take Home:

                Got Questions hand out

Names of God #1: Elohim

Elohim – God Almighty – God of Gods, Majestic; Creator

Open

Playdough on each table to make something you are thankful that God created for you

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, Elohim created the heavens and the earth.

                Elohim 1^st name used for God in the Bible            

                                Only name used from Genesis 1:1 to Genesis 2:3 – 35 times!

                                Used 2606 times in the Hebrew OT (NASB version…varies)

                He wants us right away to understand His sovereignty and Power

1^st – His Power

                Story of Scientists wanted to prove to God they are as powerful because they have figured out how to make man out of dirt – 1^st thing started doing was make a pile with the dirt and God said “Wait! First you have to make your own dirt”

                **Everything we make comes from something God already created. HE created everything from NOTHING

                3 Things we know about God (see worksheet)

a.       Transcendent – Distinct – from His Creation

a.       In Time – God created the beginning of Time

b.      He is eternal

c.       In Space – God created the heavens and the earth

d.      He is outside the universe

e.      In Matter – He created everything from something

f.        We live in a physical world

g.       These all mean God exists in a different dimension than us – that is why we cannot understand Him

h.      Illustrate for kids…a worm trying to function in school?

b.      Omnipresent – God is everywhere all the time

a.       Jeremiah 23:23-24: Am I Elohim who is only close at hand?” says the LORD. No, I am an Elohim far away at the same time. Can anyone hide from me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and the earth?” says the LORD.

b.      God fills time, space and matter - *Illustration for the kids – atmosphere

c.       Personal – God is in relationship with us

a.       Genesis 3:8-9 “They heard the sound of the Lord Elohim walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord Elohim among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord Elohim called to the man, and said to him, ‘Where are you?’.”

b.      God walked with Adam and Eve…He spoke to them…He felt emotions in His relationship with them

2^nd – His Sovereignty – He is Majestic

Elohim – a Plural noun with a singular verb…First glimpse of the Trinity

                Pretzel

a.       Take play dough and make a pretzel

b.      Put on paper and label the parts of the Trinity

c.       Elohim is like a Pretzel – 3 beings connected by the same dough

d.      NAME of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (not names)

e.      Genesis 1:26 “Then Elohim said, ‘Let US make man in OUR image, according to OUR likeness…’”

f.        Deut. 6:4 Hear, O Israel, the Lord our Gods is one Jehovah.”  (There are these gods and they is one god)

Progress of Revelation (adults worksheet – kids color or help find and read verses)

a.       Genesis 1:2 - Spirit

b.      John 1:1 - Word

c.       John 1:14 – Flesh

d.      Col 1:16 – Jesus created the world…connects Jesus to God, to no time, space or matter

Take Homes

                Kids – binoculars and treasure hunt list

                Adults – Blue Letter Bible printout