1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:09,479 Speaker 1: Life Audio. You're listening to Everyday Prayers with Million Praying Moms, 2 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: where we're dedicated to helping moms pray God's word for 3 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: their families in the areas they need at most. I'm 4 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: your host, Nicolette Bell. Over the last decade, we've helped 5 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 1: thousands of moms make prayer a priority for their families. 6 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 1: Our mission is to help you do the same. Prayer 7 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 1: is not a last resort. It's our first and best 8 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:34,239 Speaker 1: response to the challenges of parenting, a partnership for the 9 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:38,280 Speaker 1: hearts of our children that God invites us into. Today's 10 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:42,920 Speaker 1: devotion is written by me, written originally for Everyday Prayers podcast. 11 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 1: To learn more about Million Praying Moms, visit today's show 12 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: notes or Millionprayingmoms dot com. After a quick word from 13 00:00:53,080 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 1: our sponsors, we'll pray together for our children. Matthew twenty 14 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 1: eighth eighteen through nineteen From the message translation, Jesus undeterred 15 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 1: went right ahead and gave his charge. God authorized and 16 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 1: commanded me to commission you go out and train every 17 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:17,679 Speaker 1: one you meet far and near in this way of life, 18 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:21,960 Speaker 1: marking them by baptism in the threefold name, Father, Son, 19 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 1: and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of 20 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: all that I have commanded you. I'll be with you 21 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:32,039 Speaker 1: as you do this, day after day after day, right 22 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 1: up until the end of the age. For many years 23 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:38,959 Speaker 1: I served as a youth pastor in our local church. 24 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:42,120 Speaker 1: In our work with these teenagers, I quickly picked up 25 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 1: on one of the biggest differences between the girls and 26 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 1: guys in our group. Over a Wednesday night dinner at church, 27 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 1: I would ask one of the girls how was your week, 28 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: and it was met with a babbling response that went 29 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 1: on about five minutes, including lots of details and a 30 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: few rabbit holes. At the same table, my husband would 31 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 1: ask one of the guys how was your week, and 32 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 1: they would reply good, and they were both content for 33 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 1: the conversation to move on. I would ask, well, what 34 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 1: made it good or another question to try to keep 35 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 1: the conversation going, but it was always met with a 36 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 1: simple response like it just was or nothing really. Many 37 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 1: of you probably experience this with your children, whether it's 38 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 1: in the car, going from activity to activity, or around 39 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 1: the dinner table. It's not always gender specific. Sometimes it 40 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: just depends on the personality of the kid. Some are 41 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 1: more apt to go into a lot of detail, where 42 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: others are content with just one word, simple responses. In 43 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:42,920 Speaker 1: our scripture today, we're reminded of the last command Jesus 44 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:46,639 Speaker 1: gave before he ascended into heaven. This was his last wish, 45 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 1: his last charge to his followers, as he knew he 46 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 1: was leaving them in bodily form. I think sometimes we 47 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:55,679 Speaker 1: can look at this command and think, well, that must 48 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 1: be for someone else, or that was specifically for the disciples, 49 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: for someone who maybe likes to talk a little bit more, 50 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 1: or maybe for someone who knows a little bit more 51 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:10,520 Speaker 1: about Jesus. But Jesus didn't give any qualifiers to this command. 52 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 1: He simply said, go and tell. None of us are 53 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 1: exempt from this. We don't get a pass or a 54 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: skip this turn card. We are all commanded go and tell. Now, 55 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 1: how we go and tell might differ based on our personality, certainly, 56 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 1: and that is a beautiful thing about Jesus that he 57 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: chooses to tell his story through us, in perfect humans. 58 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: Just like my conversations with teenagers looked vastly different around 59 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 1: that Wednesday night dinner table, our conversations with others about 60 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 1: Jesus can also look different. For example, how I share 61 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 1: the gospel is not necessarily the same as how my 62 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 1: husband shares the gospel, or my sister or my best friend. 63 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 1: We had a guest preacher in our church recently and 64 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 1: he shared a saying that he uses in his own 65 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 1: church frequently, said, the Gospel is best given to you 66 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 1: on its way to someone else. This stopped me in 67 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 1: my tracks. When is the last time I had considered 68 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: the someone else that he was talking about? The Gospel 69 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:17,840 Speaker 1: is best given to you on its way to someone else. 70 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: If I'm honest, a lot of the time I keep 71 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 1: the Gospel to myself, or at least within the walls 72 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 1: of my own home or the church building, or behind 73 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: this podcast microphone. A few weeks before this sermon, one 74 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:35,280 Speaker 1: of our other pastors at our church talked about being 75 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 1: a telling church, a church who was always intentionally telling 76 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:43,800 Speaker 1: others about Jesus. And as are reflected on both of 77 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 1: these teachings together, I thought about how I desire for 78 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:52,280 Speaker 1: our family to be a telling family. How am I 79 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 1: teaching my children that the Gospel is best given to 80 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:58,919 Speaker 1: them on its way to someone else. How am I 81 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: teaching and encourage and modeling for them what it looks 82 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:04,919 Speaker 1: like to live a life with the gospel on display 83 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 1: and on our lips. So I've been praying. I've been 84 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 1: asking God to show me ways to be a telling family. 85 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 1: We want to be a family who lives out the 86 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:18,919 Speaker 1: great commission in our lives, and I know that you 87 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 1: do too. Jesus's command is not complex, although we often 88 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 1: make it out to be. We can add a bunch 89 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:29,279 Speaker 1: of things to it, but truly it's very simple. So 90 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:33,080 Speaker 1: let's simplify it. Maybe you could ask yourself who in 91 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: your life wouldn't walk into a church building but needs 92 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 1: to hear about the hope and love of Jesus from 93 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:43,119 Speaker 1: a regular person in a regular place. Is that at work, 94 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:47,159 Speaker 1: at the ball field, in the dance class, waiting room, 95 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 1: in the stands, in a band competition, or a play. 96 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 1: Think about the places that you regularly are and think 97 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 1: about the people who are regularly there with you. Pray 98 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:03,040 Speaker 1: and ask God who around you needs to hear about Him. 99 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:06,839 Speaker 1: Ask him to bring up opportunities in conversation to mention 100 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:09,839 Speaker 1: Him in my life. A simple way I try to 101 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:12,040 Speaker 1: do this is I look for ways to offer prayer 102 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: to others. If someone shares about a hardship in their life, 103 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 1: it is so easy to offer to pray, whether you 104 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,000 Speaker 1: pray right there in that moment, which I find to 105 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 1: be very powerful for people, or later on, but following 106 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 1: up after someone has shared something personal with you can 107 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: go a really long way of sharing the love of 108 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:37,559 Speaker 1: Jesus and opening up a conversation to share the hope 109 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 1: and life that we have in Him. This week, let's 110 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:46,359 Speaker 1: keep it simple, Let's not over complicate it. Who needs 111 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 1: to hear what we have to tell. Let's pray. Father, 112 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 1: thank you for interesting your good news to us. Help 113 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:58,680 Speaker 1: us not to take that responsibility lightly. Help us to 114 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 1: be telling families, families who are looking for ways and 115 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 1: opportunities to share your hope, your love, and your light 116 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 1: to a world that is hurting. In doing so, may 117 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:13,760 Speaker 1: our children be tellers of your good news as well. 118 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 1: In Jesus' name, Amen, friends, we have completely revamped our 119 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 1: Patreon tears Now. With a ten dollars monthly donation, you 120 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 1: automatically receive our favorite monthly downloadable prayer calendar of curated 121 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:31,880 Speaker 1: scripture inspired prayers that complement the devotions and prayers from 122 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 1: the podcast. You also receive each day's devotion and prayer 123 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 1: in written form, including reflection questions to accompany your quiet time. 124 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 1: Many of our members enjoy having the ability to read 125 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 1: the day's devotion or to save the prayer for future use. Lastly, 126 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 1: when you become a Praying Mom, you're invited to a 127 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 1: monthly mom chat with me and surprise guests from our 128 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: other Million Praying Mom authors. You can learn more in 129 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 1: today's show notes or at Millionprayingmoms dot com. Until next time, friends, 130 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 1: the Lord bless you and keep you. Make his face 131 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 1: shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the 132 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:16,520 Speaker 1: Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.