FORGIVENESS SETS US FREE

Prayer isn’t just about asking for provision, it’s also about receiving and extending forgiveness. When we pray for forgiveness and offer it to others, we experience freedom in Christ and break free from bitterness and shame. Before we can extend forgiveness to others, we must receive the forgiveness God has already offered us. We don't have to earn God's forgiveness. We confess our sin, receive His grace, and trust that what Jesus has done is enough.
And when we remember how much God has forgiven us, it changes how we respond to those who have hurt us.

 Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation but rescue us from the evil one. If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:12-15 NLT

When guilt and shame begin to weigh you down, bring them to God. When bitterness begins to take root, bring it to God. When someone has hurt you deeply, bring that hurt to God.

And forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13 NLT

Forgiveness doesn’t mean pretending something didn't happen. It means releasing the offense into God's hands and refusing to remain chained to it.

Prayer isn't just where we ask God to forgive us, it is where we learn to live forgiven.

Monday Prayer Focus: Personal
•Ask God to show you any guilt, shame, bitterness, or unforgiveness you are carrying.
•Confess anything that is weighing on your heart and receive God's forgiveness.
•Parents Prompt: Ask your children: “What does it mean to know that God forgives us?” Remind them that they can always bring their mistakes to God.

Tuesday Prayer Focus: Family
•Pray for healing where there has been hurt, conflict, or broken relationships, that your home would be marked by grace instead of resentment.
•Parents Prompt: Talk about a time when forgiveness helped make a relationship better. Encourage your children to practice saying, “I forgive you,” and “I'm sorry.”

Wednesday Prayer Focus: Church
•Pray that Life Point would be a church marked by grace, forgiveness, and compassion.
•Ask God to help us refuse gossip, bitterness, and division.
•Parents Prompt: Ask your children how they can show forgiveness and kindness to someone at church this week.

Thursday Prayer Focus: Community
•Pray for people in our community who are carrying deep wounds, anger, guilt, or resentment.
•Pray for broken families and relationships that need healing.
•Parents Prompt: Ask your children: “Is there someone you can pray for today who may need God's help?”

Friday Prayer Focus: Revival
•Pray that revival would bring healing, freedom, reconciliation, and transformed lives.
•Parents Prompt: Pray together as a family: “Jesus, help us receive Your forgiveness and give forgiveness to others. Make our hearts more like Yours”

TRUSTING GOD’S PROVISION

Give us today the food we need.  Matthew 6:11NLT

So far in this series, we’ve talked about how prayer begins with worship and surrender, aligning our hearts with God’s will. But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He knows we have real, everyday needs, and in Matthew 6:11, He teaches us to pray, “Give us today the food we need.”

At first glance, it might sound like a simple request for food. But this part of the Lord’s Prayer is about more than just groceries, it’s about learning to rely on God in every area of our lives.

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19NLT

Notice it says all your needs. That includes everything from the practical, like food and shelter, to the spiritual, like peace, wisdom, and strength.
GOD PROVIDES MORE THAN JUST PHYSICAL BREAD

The next time you find yourself worrying about the future, stop and pray: “God, give me today’s bread. I trust You with tomorrow.” Worry tries to pull us into the future, but prayer brings us back to the present. Whenever you feel the pull of worry, pause and pray, asking God to remind you that He is already in tomorrow. Trust Him with today’s bread and leave the future in His hands. God’s provision is always enough, but it comes one day at a time. Prayer isn’t just a way to ask for what we need, it’s a way to build trust in the God who knows what we need before we even ask.

Monday Prayer Focus: Personal
•Ask God to help you trust Him with today’s needs instead of worrying about tomorrow.    
•Pray specifically for the “bread” you need today.  Peace, strength, wisdom, or provision.
•Parents Prompt:  Help your kids to pray that God provides everything they need to start school well. (friends, confidence, patience)

Tuesday Prayer Focus: Family
•Thank God for how He has provided for your family.
•Pray for each family member’s needs, trusting God to meet them.
•Parents Prompt: Help your kids to count the good things. How many good things in your life can you come up with? Thank God for them.

Wednesday Prayer Focus: Church
•Pray that Life Point would be a church that trusts God and follows His leading.
•Pray for wisdom and provision for every ministry, volunteer, and family.
•Parents Prompt: Pray for your LP Kids leaders/teachers.

Thursday Prayer Focus: Community
•Pray for people in our community who are facing financial, emotional, physical, or spiritual needs.
•Ask God how he wants to use you to become part of His provision for those who are hurting.
•Parents Prompt: How does God want us to love people who need help?

Friday Prayer Focus: Revival
•Pray that people would discover that Jesus is our TRUE NEED.
•Pray that the Holy Spirit would stir hearts to trust God completely throughout our community.
•Parents Prompt: How can you put God first today?

A Prayer of Surrender

May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10 NLT

One of the hardest prayers we can pray is, "Your will be done." We naturally want God to bless our plans, fix our problems, and answer our prayers the way we expect. But Jesus teaches us to begin with surrender. Praying for God's Kingdom to come means inviting Him to rule every part of our lives, our relationships, decisions, priorities, and future. It means trusting that His plans are better than our own, even when we don't understand them.

Revival begins when God's people stop holding tightly to their own agendas and begin saying, "Lord, whatever You want, that's what I want." A surrendered heart is a heart God can use. God cannot fill hands that refuse to open. Before He changes our community, He wants to change us. Revival begins when we stop resisting His will and begin embracing it with open hearts.

We naturally want God to bless our plans, protect our comfort, and fulfill our dreams. Yet Jesus taught us something far greater. Instead of inviting God into our agenda, He invites us into His. Jesus modeled this kind of surrender on the night before the cross. Knowing the suffering that lay ahead, He prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Luke 22:42 NLT

That's what surrender looks like. Surrender is not weakness. It is not giving up. It is not losing. Surrender is trusting that God's plans are always better than ours.

Monday Prayer Focus: Personal
• What area of my life I have been unwilling to surrender to God?
• Am I asking God to bless my plans, or am I seeking His will first?
• Parents Prompt: You don't always like to listen to your parents,
do you? Do you think it is hard to listen to God?

Tuesday Prayer Focus: Family
• Teach us to love one another with patience, forgive quickly, and serve each other with  
   joy.
• Help us to seek You first in every decision.
• Parents Prompt: You know how we want you to love your
  brother or sister and be nice to them? Did you know that is how God wants us to be to  
  everyone?

Wednesday Prayer Focus: Church
• Lead us to seek Your Kingdom above our own preferences, traditions, and plans.
• Search our hearts and remove anything that hinders Your work among us.
• Parents Prompt: Do you have a favorite song or snack in class at church? Do you think  
   that is more important than learning something about Jesus?

Thursday Prayer Focus: Community
• Pray for those who are sick, hurting, and for the grieving
• Pray for our local and national leaders
• Pray for our schools
• Parents Prompt: Can we pray for a friend that has been sick?

Friday Prayer Focus: Revival
• As we prepare for revival, our greatest prayer is not simply, "Lord, send revival." Our prayer is: "Lord, start with me."
• Parents Prompt: School is starting soon, and we really hope that you find a good friend. Can we pray that you are a good friend to someone this year?

It Starts with WORSHIP
This week, let worship and prayer become your first response instead of your last resort. Revival begins when our focus shifts from ourselves to God.

"Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy." Matthew 6:9 (NLT)

Jesus began the model prayer not with our needs, but with God's greatness. Before asking for daily bread, forgiveness, or guidance, He teaches us to lift our eyes to the holiness of God. Worship puts our hearts in the right position. When we remember who God is, our problems are seen through the lens of His power and faithfulness.

 "Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name." Psalm 100:4 (NLT)

The psalmist reminds us that gratitude is a doorway to knowing God's presence. Thanksgiving shifts our focus from what we lack to what God has already done.
Praise reminds us that God is worthy whether our circumstances change or not.
Revival begins in hearts that choose gratitude over grumbling and worship over worry.

Worship changes how we pray.

It reminds us that we are not alone and that God is good, even when life feels uncertain. As we continue in this series, let’s commit to starting our prayers with worship, anchoring ourselves in who God is before we ask for anything.

When you focus on God first, everything else begins to fall into place.
You’ll find that your prayers grow deeper, not because you’re using fancy words, but because you’re drawing closer to the heart of God. Spend some time praying over each focus, starting with worship.

Monday Prayer Focus: Personal
• Invite the Holy Spirit to reveal anything competing for first place in your heart.
• Ask Him to help you replace worry with worship.
• Parents Prompt: Is God the G.O.A.T.? Is he more important than
your favorite toy? Let's pray that God will help you love him more.

Tuesday Prayer Focus: Family
• Prayer for your family members by name.
• Parents Prompt: Let's take turns praying for each other, parents
go first and set the example.

Wednesday Prayer Focus: Church
• That Life Point would be a place of genuine worship
• A place where people choose and follow Christ
• Parents Prompt: Do you look forward to church? What's your
favorite part? Could we pray for other kids to love Church as much as you?

Thursday Prayer Focus: Community
• Pray for those who are sick, hurting, and for the grieving
• Pray for our local and national leaders
• Pray for our schools
• Parents Prompt: Do you know anybody that is sick or hurt? Do
you want to pray for them?

Friday Prayer Focus: Revival
• That the lost would discover Christ.
• That the Holy Spirit would remove spiritual blindness.
• That the Holy Spirit would stir hearts throughout our
community.
• Parents Prompt: Would it be so cool for all of your friends to
know Jesus?