1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:17,759 Speaker 2: You're listening to every Day Prayers with Million Praying Moms, 3 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 2: helping you pray God's word for your family in the 4 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:23,919 Speaker 2: areas you need it most. I'm your host, Nicolette Bell. Here, 5 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 2: we believe prayer isn't a last resort. It's our first 6 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 2: and best response in parenting, and every day we come 7 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 2: together to partner with God for the hearts of our children. 8 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 2: In the month of April, we are hosting the Everyday 9 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 2: Prayers for Gentleness book Club on the podcast to celebrate 10 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:41,280 Speaker 2: our newest release, We're So Glad You're here today. The 11 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:43,959 Speaker 2: author of our new book and mom of three, Christy Thomas, 12 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 2: will lead our devotion in prayer to challenge us and 13 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 2: encourage us on our journey to grow in gentleness. To 14 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:53,200 Speaker 2: learn more about Christy, our new book, and the Million 15 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 2: Praying Mom's ministry, visit Millionprayingmoms dot com. You can find 16 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 2: a link in our show notes. After a brief word 17 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 2: from our sponsors, will pray together for our children. 18 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 3: Today's devotion is for your whole family, following this month's 19 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:13,280 Speaker 3: topic of gentleness. It comes from my book Fruitful, one 20 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 3: hundred Family Experiences for growing in the Fruit of the spirit. 21 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 3: Matthew twenty one, verse five says, tell the people of Jerusalem, Look, 22 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 3: your king is coming to you. He is humble, riding 23 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 3: on a donkey, riding on a donkey's cold. If you 24 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:30,760 Speaker 3: were announcing yourself as a king or a queen for 25 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:33,319 Speaker 3: the first time, what would you do? Here's what I 26 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 3: would do. First, I would get a big war horse 27 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:38,959 Speaker 3: and make it look really fancy. I might even braid 28 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 3: its mane or dip its tail in gold. Is that 29 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 3: a thing? It should be a thing. Next, I would 30 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 3: command my big army to march behind me to prove 31 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 3: that I'm a great leader. Then I would hire a 32 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 3: band to play exciting music in front of me and 33 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 3: acquire to sing songs about how amazing I am. Last, 34 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 3: i'd definitely tell everyone I was coming and promise lots 35 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 3: of candy to everyone who hooted and hollered as my 36 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 3: big parade came into the city. Doesn't that sound like 37 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 3: a great way to enter a city. You would think Jesus, 38 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 3: as God's son, might have done something like that. I mean, 39 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:16,360 Speaker 3: he has angel armies, so surely a single horse with 40 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 3: a golden tail wouldn't be too much for him. But no, 41 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 3: that's not what Jesus did. Instead, he sat on a 42 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:28,640 Speaker 3: borrowed cloak on a borrowed donkey, and rode into Jerusalem, 43 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:32,600 Speaker 3: surrounded by just his friends. No one knew he was coming, 44 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 3: but something about this oddball entrance caused a big ruckus. 45 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 3: The people of Jerusalem laid their coats on the ground 46 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 3: in front of the donkey and waved palm branches, shouting 47 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 3: praises to God. This is what gentleness is all about. 48 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:51,600 Speaker 3: Some people think gentleness is weakness, but it's actually the 49 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:57,679 Speaker 3: very opposite. Gentleness is great power under control. Someone who 50 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 3: is gentle doesn't need to prove they're strong. They already 51 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:04,080 Speaker 3: know they're strong, and they choose to keep their strength 52 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 3: under control so they don't hurt others. Jesus didn't need 53 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 3: to prove he was strong. He had already healed tons 54 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 3: of people, brought others back to life, walked on water, 55 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 3: stopped a storm, and fed thousands of people with five 56 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:20,800 Speaker 3: loves of bread and two fish. He knew he was strong, 57 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 3: he didn't need to prove it. Instead, he choose to 58 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:27,920 Speaker 3: keep his strength under control and entered Jerusalem on a 59 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 3: donkey in order to show what God is like You 60 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 3: might not feel like a strong person, but the most 61 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 3: powerful being in the universe loves you and is with 62 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 3: you all the time. When you feel like you have 63 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 3: to prove your strength by joining a group of kids 64 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 3: who are making fun of someone, or by pushing a 65 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 3: little kid at the park, remember that. 66 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: God is with you. 67 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 3: You don't need to prove anything. Instead, the Holy Spirit 68 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 3: can help you keep your strength under control and show 69 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 3: gentleness instead. I'm going to give you a couple of 70 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 3: discussion starters and a prayer that you can pray today. 71 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 3: You feel free to pause this podcast if you want 72 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 3: to have a conversation before moving on to the second 73 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 3: question and the prayer. So, first of all, I'm going 74 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:16,480 Speaker 3: to challenge you to read Matthew twenty one verses one 75 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 3: to five, and then the question is in what ways 76 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:24,600 Speaker 3: did Jesus show his power in these verses? And in 77 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:27,719 Speaker 3: what ways did he show that his great power was 78 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:31,839 Speaker 3: under control? And my second question that I'd love for 79 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 3: you to talk about today is to tell each other 80 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 3: about an area of your life. For you of a 81 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:40,839 Speaker 3: hard time being gentle moms and dads, you can answer 82 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 3: this question too. It's hard for all of us, all right. 83 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 3: Once you're done your questions, Let's pray together. I know 84 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 3: you are powerful. 85 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 1: Jesus. 86 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 3: Thank you for keeping your power under control and being 87 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:57,040 Speaker 3: gentle with us. Help us to learn to keep our 88 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 3: strength under control too. In Jesus' name. Amen, thanks for 89 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 3: joining me today. This devotion has been read for you 90 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 3: by me, the author, Christy Thomas, and has been used 91 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 3: with permission from Cregal Publications. The full book, with one 92 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 3: hundred devotions, is available wherever books and ebooks are sold. 93 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 2: Are you a visual learner? Would you like to receive 94 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 2: our daily devotions and written form Write to your inbox 95 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 2: then join our Patreon community of Praying Moms. Not only 96 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 2: will you receive the transcripts of each podcast devotional, you 97 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:33,679 Speaker 2: will also receive a monthly prayer calendar and surprise bonus content. 98 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 2: Learn more about our Praying mom community in today's show 99 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:42,400 Speaker 2: notes or at million Prayingmoms dot com. Till next time, friends, 100 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,719 Speaker 2: the Lord bless you and keep you. Make his face 101 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 2: shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the 102 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 2: Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.