Back To School Prayers

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How about back to school prayers? And it just so happens we have an expert in marketing in this field with us today. James, you used to write ads for schools on this very subject, am I right? Well, I wrote ads for churches, Robbie. I actually had an ad company that would write ads for churches years ago, and I was also a pastor. And one of the ads said, start school right.

And underneath that header it said, and these were ads that ran in newspapers, so, you know, we're not doing too much of that anymore. It said, start school right. And underneath that, they've got pencils.

They've got paper. But do they have a prayer? Come start the school year right. Come pray for your kids. That's what we're going to do today. We're not just going to talk about prayer. We're going to pray for our kids as they start this new school year together.

Because let's face it, there is nothing more powerful than a parent's prayers for their children. Oh, and I know that there's just a whole lot of anxious hearts on this very subject right now, right? And especially after that first week of school, and I know my daughter's a school teacher, and she shared with me that she, you know, that first day was, you know, difficult. And so I'm so glad we're doing this, James.

So am I, Robbie. And that's a great reminder, we have to pray for our teachers, for our administrators. You know, some of the people who had a great influence in my life also at school were the custodians.

I remember some distinctly Christian custodians at school. And anyhow, let's just go ahead and start by praying for a moment. And then I'm going to share a prayer from my books, from my book, Prayers for Your Children, maybe a couple of prayers, if we have time. So, Father, we pray for our kids, we pray for our teachers, we pray for our administrators, and all who help in the school, including custodians, Father, just, we ask for a great year. We pray for your protection over all of them. We pray for your wisdom. We pray that our kids would grow to know you and love you. And we commit them to you, Father, help us to pray and to be faithful in prayer throughout the year ahead.

In Jesus' name. Oh, Lord, I know how much I love to love. I mean, I love to learn. I love to love too, but I love to learn. And so Lord, I pray that you would help the teachers and the students ignite that spark where they just love to learn.

And as they do that, they enjoy school. Lord, we pray that you would make that happen. In Jesus' name. Amen. And Ravi, that's a perfect lead-in to the prayer in Prayers for Your Children on day 14, entitled Back to School.

And here's how it starts. I pray my child will never stop learning, Lord. There's so much to learn. And the more we learn, the more we understand how much we don't know.

But you know everything. You are a wonderful teacher, Isaiah 28, 29, whose wisdom is magnificent. Wisdom comes from you, and I ask that you give it to her. You are the one who gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning, Daniel 2 21.

True learning starts with you. Your word teaches us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding, Proverbs 9 10. So I ask that she learn to pray, teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious spirit lead me forward on a firm footing, Psalm 143 10.

From your mouth come knowledge and understanding. I pray that she will listen to your instructions and store them in her heart. Most of all, Lord Jesus, I ask that she will grow in the grace and knowledge of you as her Lord and Savior, so that she may live for your glory both now and forever.

Second Peter 318. Help her to understand that there is more to learning than the mere accumulation of information. No matter how much she learns and grows, I pray she will always crave the pure spiritual milk of your truth, so that she will grow into a full experience of salvation.

First Peter 2 2. Watch over her learning, Lord. Guide her in it and guard her heart so that it's pleasing to you.

There are so many lessons to learn in life. I pray that she will sit at your feet and learn the ones of your choosing. You delight in truth, in the inward being, and you teach us wisdom in the secret place, Psalm 51 6. I pray that she may gain a heart of wisdom, Psalm 90 12, by understanding that life on earth is brief and eternity is long. I pray that she will learn to value your wisdom over human wisdom.

Many are the plans in the mind of man, but it is your purpose that will stand, Proverbs 19 21. Your wisdom is sweet to the soul. If she finds it, she will have a bright future, Proverbs 24 14.

So I pray that she will. Wisdom lights up a person's face. May her shine with your light and love and wisdom forever. Ecclesiastes 8 1. Wow, that's beautiful.

Absolutely beautiful. You know, it's so important to cover our kids with prayer each day and to pray God's word over our kids because there's so much power in it. And, you know, one of the main things we need to pray for is their sense of identity, that they know who they are in God, that they know that they're His. So if we have time, I'd love to read another prayer that's all about that. Yeah, we've got a couple minutes.

Okay, I'll try to be quick. I pray that my child will be thankful for the way you made her, father. You made her a masterpiece, Ephesians 2 10. You formed her in her mother's womb, weaving each strand of DNA into a one of a kind creation. There has never been another like her and there never will be another. I pray that she will rest content in the truth that she doesn't need to be anyone other than the original you made her to be.

So many people spend their lives wanting to be someone else chasing after others who are following their pride, Zephaniah 311, living for themselves, and the trends of this world. I pray she will follow you instead, and want to be what you made her to be. You made her to know you and love you and have a life through your son, a full new life brimming with purpose. You have such good things, Ephesians 2 10, planned for her. I pray she will embrace your ideas for her life and live with anticipation, looking forward to each new day with you.

And it goes on from there, but I'll go ahead and stop it there. But father, again, in this world, which would seek to even change our children's identities, we pray that they would know they are yours, that they would love you, that you would protect them, to be your very own and to live in love forever. Bless our kids, Lord. We lift them to you lift them to you in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. You can hear more from Pastor James by visiting his website, jamesbanks.org, or by visiting Peace Church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you as you pray. This is the Truth Network.