24 Aug “Fighting for Your Children” | Part Four – ‘How to Properly Pray (For Your Children)’ – All Locations
Check the Events Page for What is Happening (not everything is listed here) (waterschurch.org/events)
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Life Group Leader Training – August 26 @ 1:00p. If you have any apprentices ready to take this training, please forward the link to them.
LIFE GROUP LEADER TRAINING AUG 26
New England Leaders:
You and your members are invited to help us clean out an area on September 6 to make room for our Academy!
Click the link below to register so we know how many people are coming. We will be providing the coffee and a continental breakfast!
Thanks in advance!
LADIES:
Cheryl would love your input! Please take a moment to fill out this short questionnaire about topics you’d like to see at upcoming women’s gatherings. Be sure to also share the link with your Life Group members so they can add their input too.
Women’s Ministry Questionnaire
NEW ENGLAND LOCATIONS
You can still order Waters Academy Swag, just click the link below! All proceeds go to Waters Academy!
Waters Academy Patio Party Swag Order Form
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WATERS ACADEMY GOLF TOURNAMENT – TEE OFF FOR OUR NEXT GENERATION OF CHRIST FOLLOWERS!
We’re still collecting raffle items for the Waters Academy Golf Event and need about 20 more. Would you or your group donate a themed basket, a service (haircut, lawn care, photography, etc.), or even an unused gift card we can add to a basket?
Email Mary Ann at maparsons@waterschurch.org with the subject line “WA Golf Event.”
Thank you for helping us bless our school!
Register below to Play or Sponsor this event! participating/donating/sponsoring/volunteering are live!
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AMAZIN’ G’RACE EVENT OCTOBER 11!
Join us for AMAZIN’ G’RACE on October 11—an exciting competition based on the show The Amazing Race. Gather your team of four and take on a series of physical and mental challenges designed to test your teamwork, creativity, and determination. The winning team will take home a $500 cash prize ($125 per person). It’s just $10 per person to enter, and the starting location will be revealed at the event. Sign up now and get ready to race with purpose! REGISTER HERE
If you prefer to serve at this event instead of competing, REGISTER HERE
ALL LOCATIONS
WATERS UNIVERSITY:
We’re looking to grow healthy Christians at Waters Church…spiritually, physically, mentally, financially and relationally — that is the mission of Waters University. The Fall semester is about to begin with ReEngage and Financial Peace University (classes start the week of September 8), Celebrate Recovery (ongoing) and Alpha (classes start on October 6). Go to https://watersu.org/ or click the link below now for more information on classes and to register.
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ALPHA MEAL PREP – SEE NEW DATES FOR FALL – GO TO WATERSCHURCH.ORG/EVENTS FOR THE SCHEDULE
ALL LOCATIONS – MEALS FOR ALPHA CLASS
Reminders:
✳ Please regularly check your Planning Center profiles for requests to join your life groups, remove members from the list that no longer attend, or add members not listed. Please ensure that you have added no-reply@churchcenter.com to your email contacts so that you do not miss an email from Planning Center and encourage your members to do so as well. This will ensure you do not miss a member request or any emails that come from the Planning Center site. Thank you!
Waters Class Schedule:
- 1st Sunday: Discover Waters – after 1st service
- 2nd Sunday: NO CLASSES
- 3rd Sunday: Connect Class – after 1st service
- 4th Sunday: Baptism Class – after 1st service
Waters Help: Need marriage and family care or have a group member in need of marriage and family care? Click here: help resources page or visit waterschurch.org/help
Location Text Alerts:
| North Attleboro | Text “subscribe” to 508 695-1300 | |
| Norwood | Text “subscribe” to 781 762-3357 | |
| Apollo Beach | Text “subscribe” to 813 642-6979 | |
| Woonsocket | Text “subscribe” to 833 241-4837 | |
| Southcoast | Text “subscribe” to 508 809-3490 | |
Check the Events Page for What is Happening (not everything is listed here) (waterschurch.org/events)
PLEASE CHECK YOUR NOTIFICATIONS AND OR YOUR PLANNING CENTER PROFILES FOR NEW MEMBER REQUESTS.
NOTE:
Two opporuntities to pray:
Leaders only: Please be available at the end of service to pray for those who come forward. If you are not actively serving during the service you are attending, make it a priority to head to the front when the invitation is given. Your presence matters!
North Attleboro Leaders and members: If you are available, or any member of your group who currently serves is available, there is an opportunity to meet for prayer in the conference room off of the break room area during the second and third services. Please see Doug and Joanie White or Felix Shyllon if you would like to be a part of that ministry.
Please Note: if you have a member that is not serving currently and would like to be a part of the prayer during service team, please have them take the appropriate steps to become a serve team member.
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**Please read all scripture in the ESV, unless otherwise noted.**
Key Verse: Colossians 1
Ice Breaker Question
What is one funny or memorable thing your parents used to say to you when you were growing up?
Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of children and the privilege of guiding them in Your truth. As we open Your Word, give us wisdom to pray with purpose, strength to lead our families in faith, and courage to commit our children fully into Your hands. May our prayers be powerful, eternal, and rooted in Your promises. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Prayer and parenting are best friends. Nothing will alter your prayer life more, nothing will challenge your prayer life more, and nothing will increase your prayer life more than your children.
Ephesians 6:18
Proper Prayer Should Do Three Things for Parenting
- Prayer PARTNERS with the POWER of God.
“Prayer is the most tangible demonstration of our dependence upon God” – Neil Anderson
2 Corinthians 1:9-11
Q. How have you experienced God’s power working in response to prayer in your family?
Practical Application: What kind of prayers do you pray over your children? Begin intentionally including your children in your prayers aloud so they hear you depending on God’s power in everyday situations.
2. Prayer PLACES my children in God’s Hands.
1 Samuel 1:27–28
Prayer is an active dependency made verbal.
Q. Why is it sometimes hard to let go of control and place your children in God’s hands?
Practical Application: What is one area of your child’s life that you struggle to surrender to the Lord fully? (Leader, allow members to answer if they want to). This week, release that area to God in prayer, and when worry returns, remind yourself to trust Him instead of taking it back.
3. Prayer PLANTS SEEDS in my children’s FUTURE.
Galatians 6:8-9
Prayers are sowing spiritual seeds for your family’s future.
Sometimes we get discouraged because we don’t see answers to our prayers.
Scripture shows many parents praying for their children: Manoah prayed for Samson, David prayed for Solomon, Paul prayed for Timothy, and Jesus prayed for His disciples.
Q. In what ways are our prayers today like planting seeds that will shape our children’s faith and future?
Practical Application: This week, choose one specific area of your child’s future (faith, friendships, calling, protection, or character) and begin praying daily into that area, trusting that God will bring fruit from the seeds you are planting.
What Are Proper Prayers for Children?
- Avoid SUPERFICIAL prayers (for your children).
Examples of superficial prayers are praying that they are happy, safe, successful, etc.
When we pray SUPERFICIALLY, we ask for what SOOTHES
today, but may SABOTAGE faith tomorrow.
Proverbs 30:8-9 – (provide what is necessary for your children)
When Jesus prayed for His disciples, He didn’t ask for an avoidance of pain, but rather the power of TRUTH.
Sometimes you need to stumble to keep you humble.
John 17:15-17
Q. How can superficial prayers be reshaped into faith-building prayers?
Practical Application: Adjust one of your current prayers for your children so it aligns more with God’s will and eternal purpose than just temporary comfort. (Leader: ask the group if they would like to share something regarding this.)
2. Practice SCRIPTURAL prayers (for your children).
Colossian 1:9
Colossians is a letter written by a spiritual parent to spiritual children.
If you don’t pray, you are leaving your children defenseless in the spiritual war for their souls.
Read it, Understand it, Pray It.
- Pray that God FILLS their MINDS with His WILL
A child’s mind is a sponge; they have the capacity to learn things quickly.
You should want God’s will to be the controlling influence in your child’s mind.
Pray this (this is from scripture):
“Father, I pray my children will be FILLED with your WILL, have the WISDOM to WORK it out and the SKILL to APPLY it to their life.”
Q. What are some practical ways we can help shape our children’s minds to seek and follow God’s will in their everyday lives?
Practical Application: Choose one intentional way this week to guide your child’s mind toward God’s will—such as reading a short scripture together, praying before school, or talking about how God’s Word applies to a decision they are facing.
B. Pray that God is FULLY PLEASED with their LIVES.
You pray for wisdom so that your children will know how to walk.
When we walk in wisdom, we help ourselves and please God.
Colossians 1:10
Our children do not exist for our pleasure. They exist for God’s purposes.
FACT: God has greater PURPOSES in MIND for my CHILD than I do.
Jeremiah 29:11
God judges Israel for their sins, but He declares that He knows the plans He has for them. It looks bad now, but He works it for their long-term good.
C. Pray that God will FILL their BODIES with His STRENGTH.
Colossians 1:11–12 (ESV) and (NIV)
Paul doesn’t water down the Christian life here. He, like Jesus, does not pray for the absence of trouble, but for strength in the trouble.
Q. How can praying for our children to please God and to bear fruit in every good work shift our focus from short-term success to God’s eternal purposes for their lives?
Practical Application: This week, pray specifically that your child’s choices, friendships, and actions would both please God and bear lasting fruit. Then, look for one way to affirm or encourage them when you see even a small step in that direction.
3. Pray knowing that your PRAYERS may be ANSWERED after you’re GONE.
Revelation 5:8
God remembers every prayer. Revelation 5 shows the prayers of the saints in His holy throne room.
Q. How does knowing that God stores our prayers encourage you to pray more boldly for your children?
Practical Application: Write down a prayer for your children’s future walk with Christ, and keep it in your Bible as a testimony of faith.
Sermon in a Commitment:
Father, today I put aside SUPERFICIAL wants for myself and/or my children. I commit to praying for your WILL and your STRENGTH that I/they may PLEASE you.
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3 Key Takeaways
- Proper prayer partners with God’s power and purpose for our children.
- Proper prayer places our children into God’s hands, not our own.
- Proper prayer plants seeds in our children’s future that will outlast us.
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Closing Prayer
Father, today we put aside superficial wants for ourselves and our children. We commit to praying for Your will, Your strength, and a life that pleases You. Help us trust You with our children’s present and future, and give us faith to pray boldly, knowing that You hear and treasure our prayers. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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