Every Day Faith - April 2018

by Valencia Octave Mar 29, 2018, 14:44 PM

Here’s how we’re praying this month.

Here’s how we’re praying this month. You can contact our order desk at 905-542-7400 ext. 3223 or via email at orderdesk@paoc.org to get new prayer cards and promotional postcards (there is no cost for the materials—just shipping charges will apply). Along with our monthly prayer focus, visit www.everydayfaith.ca for encouragement in the disciplines of Bible reading, prayer, generosity and sharing our faith in word and deed.

Thank you for your continued participation in Every Day Faith.

April – Spiritual Vitality – Pray, Share

Key Everyday Thought:

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it (Proverbs 22:6).

Studies show that children between the ages of 4 and 14 are the most open to accepting Christ. If they do trust in Him at this stage, they are likely to remain committed for life. But there are so many destructive influences competing for their attention—at increasingly earlier ages. We can take comfort in knowing that God’s eternal Word still holds true. He reminds us that, even in these times, His love for children and His desire to see them learn His ways has not changed. His Spirit still pursues their hearts and His power and wisdom are still available to us to guide them into His best plans and purposes for their lives. He wants us to share His love with them, so that they learn early on that He desires to be their guide throughout their lifetimes. Let’s trust God together for both the eternal security of our children, and for His provision in our lives as parents, guardians and mentors to provide the acceptance, care, protection and godly counsel that they need.

The 4-14 Initiative is an annual focus of the PAOC in the month of April. We are calling our Fellowship to prayer for children in need of encountering Jesus.

Each week the 4-14 Initiative will lead a focus on a specific theme:

Week of April 1: Sharing God’s truth in a post-truth society/generation

Week of April 8: Parenting with purpose

Week of April 15: Children and spiritual identity

Week of April 22: The church’s role in supporting families

April 29/30: The equation needed for a spiritually strong generation

Visit https://paoc.org/events/4-14 for more details including the prayer calendar for the month of April and share the 4-14 focus with your church family, friends and neighbours.

PASSAGES TO PONDER:

Mark 9:36-37

“Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, ‘Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me.’ ”

Deuteronomy 11:16-21

“But be careful. Don’t let your heart be deceived so that you turn away from the Lord and serve and worship other gods. If you do, the Lord’s anger will burn against you. He will shut up the sky and hold back the rain, and the ground will fail to produce its harvests. Then you will quickly die in that good land the Lord is giving you.

“So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors.”

Ephesians 6:4

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.”

Exodus 20:12

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.”

Ask and it will be granted…

– That children throughout Canada will be viewed as the treasure they are
– That many will receive Christ at an early age and serve Him for life
– That they will be cared for and mentored by godly adults
– That they will be thoroughly exposed to God’s Word
– That God will grant parents and mentors patience and perseverance

Next month’s key thought: And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns (Philippians 1:6, NLT).

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