7 Key Things To Pray For Youth, Faith, Friends, Discernments, etc.

Somehow I still had this in drafts, so it's out of order. Still, it's important enough I can see putting it here.

Do you want a great list of what to pray for, kids? It started without the comma.

This list, shared by Steve Harney of Cool Kids Ministries (which has great stuff online each week still, I think, at least on Youtube), was for family members to pray for kids. It’s also a great list for you to pray for yourselves, friends, etc. and for adults in your lives.

It leads into what I’m urging people to do while time is short. (Okay, it won’t get long again, so, like now. 😊 ) If you don’t worship at CBT or elsewhere, start a church in your home. Live stream CBT and have Bible study after (guests can come just for it.) Have it outside once the weather gets nicer (it will someday)

You might think you’re not gifted, but the Bible says “Let no man despise thy youth.” God saved you so you could go and be the light and salt we need, to represent Jesus and show why people should get saved.

Starting a church/Bible study doesn’t mean fancy stuff. It just means fellowship, prayer, and fun. Remember, of course, to always be sound Biblically when teaching. Also, not just a just a social club. Family/friend time is fine, but have a schedule so you always have time to discuss God’s Word, as well as a few minutes for prayer needs so you and others can pray together. Even if just with friends at school.

1. Pray for their salvation in Christ.

The number one thing for parents to pray for their kids is also something you can pray for your family and friends. I know some on this list have unsaved family.

The Bible is so deep, Wally Stuchel, from my church, said in his 90s he still learned from it. Yet, it’s so simple a child can do it. I know of a couple 8Yos who led friends to Christ. Just remember ABC – Admit you’re a sinner and fall short of God’s perfection; Believe Jesus is God in flesh, died to take the punishment for your sins, and rose from the dead; and, Call on Jesus, Confessing you are a sinner and Choosing to trust Him to save you and make you new inside.

Many Christians don’t know or don’t understand the Great Commission. Yes, church is a great way to bring people in to hear of God’s love. But you can lead someone to Christ at a bus stop, in a lunch room, while playing video games, anywhere. You might have to pray more or have a friend help keep distractions away, but Jesus calls us to go into all the world. If He asks you to do something, He will equip you.

2. Pray for discernment in their life.

That’s a fancy way of saying wisdom. James 1:5 promises God will always give it to us.

Part of this can be for mentors to come alongside & help; Godly people who won’t lead them astray. But, we much learn to make our own decisions, too.

Part of this is about what I said before about love needing to be deeper than the love we have for our favorite food. My niece Gabby put something like that into her vows when she and her now husband Trey got married – they ended with “And even when we’re old and wrinkly, our love will always be like new.” Knowing that looks won’t last, and we should love the person underneath, is just one type of wisdom.

Discernment is often used for spiritual things. We should “test the spirits to see if they are of God.” (1 John 4) If someone claims that Jesus was from Mars and had tentacles, clearly from the Bible the person saying this is from a cult (or just insane, I don’t know of any cult like that) and shouldn’t be believed. But, there are things people believe because they don’t understand the Bible or misinterpret it. For instance, the Church has not replaced Israel. God promised His love to His people forever. Just like if you’re grounded for doing something bad you are still loved by your parents, God set aside the nation and simply saved individual Jews because they rejected Him. However, one day all Irael will be dealt with as a nation again and will realize Jesus is the promised Messiah and trust Him to save them.

Discernment is more than following Biblical teaching. It means wisdom about anything. Some specific areas are discussed later, but look at money. A wad of cash – even if you were born in 1922 and so don’t trust banks – should not be kept in your purse laying around for some guy you just met to grab while you’re sleeping. Really, letting some guy you just met roam free in your house while you sleep is also a bad idea. But my church bus driver said one rider years ago did both. Of course, the money and the guy were gone the next morning, never to be seen again. The rider didn’t use good discernment.

Sometimes ours is better when we talk thing s out. Just praying out loud can help. So can talking with stuffed animals, like the main character in my latest book, “Hidden Treasure,” does. Another’s comment – “When your own stuffed animals tell you it’s a bad idea, it’s a really bad idea” – really shows how often just thinking about something, writing pros and cons, etc. can help. But, there are times the Lord moves us to do things fast, and we don’t have time to think. It’s then we need to rely on His leading.

This happens most often when it comes to talking and knowing what to say and not say.  For instance, like that character – she didn’t come right out and say, “Boy, that’s so dumb!” It would hurt feelings and maybe even get someone to do it out of spite. But, getting her to think about her idea, or to consider the pros and cons, or whatever, helps a person to use their own discernment instead of feeling forced. And then, if you having to, getting blunt and just saying what’s wrong with what the person just said.

3. Pray for selflessness in their service.

When someone had a prayer need, it was felt that a trip might help someone. A friend I know graciously offered to pay for that trip.

This is a great example of selfless service. We can’t all give money, and sometimes the only time we can give is in prayer, like for this need. The idea behind this is: 1. Praying that people actually put others first and do things for them; and, 2. That this service be done with an attitude where it’s not about them, it’s about the person being served.

We all like to get noticed. If someone says “thanks” – a simple “you’re welcome” is good, you don’t have to say the Lone Ranger’s “My thanks is knowing I helped someone.” 

This is really all about praying, “Teach them to enjoy helping others,” and “Guide them to where they will feel rewarded in serving.” Some kids love the physical labor of setting up tables and chairs, others are better with designing things, still others might entertain younger children as the adults set up.

But, they should all be willing to serve anywhere God calls. One day before Vacation Bible School 15-18 years ago, there was nobody to entertain a bunch of kids who got there early. Our bus was in early, so I instinctively got up and started, with a kid helping me to the motions. Shockingly despite my awful singing, none of the kids left. I guess they could tell I was having fun up there. Another time, I dressed as a cow mascot. I forgot mascots weren’t supposed to talk, but otherwise the kids enjoyed me.

In serving, you don’t have to be great. Just enjoy it and show the people you care about them, and you’ll inspire others and build rewards in Heaven when your focus is doing it for God.

4. Pray for love in their friendships.

Part of #2’s wisdom is knowing who is a true friend. A Facebook meme can be true, but the Bible is absolute truth. Friends should support and lift each other up, like memes say. Yet, they also need to be able to say if someone’s doing something dumb, not push them to do it. True friends won’t ridicule you for doing right. If one doesn’t like you unless you badmouth others, act mean, etc., they’re not a true friend. True friends love each other. You might have to lovingly warn a friend they risk ruining their life, but at the same time, as a true friend if that person, say, has a baby you should help them with the baby in a kind way, forgetting the past and helping them succeed and be a Godly mother.

God warns against friends who draw you away from Him. If one is neutral that’s fine. Look how great Sander and I always were. He watched, & eventually, like with my broken leg, he saw my faith become real. It helped him to realize God’s love and receive His free gift of salvation. He was an absent-minded professor-type, but we easily laughed about how I had to remind him where he put things – like when I was going home for spring break, his Independent Study disks were in my dorm room. He couldn’t have gotten them if I hadn’t reminded him. 😊 We’ve always had fun together, laughing at ourselves; we felt comfortable around each other. Pray for friends who make them feel secure in being silly.

Pray for yourself to have that same kind of loving friendship. It can be another believer, or one who will observe like Sander. Pray they (or you) have strength to take the lead if tempted, so they can say “I’m not doing that just because you said,” or “That’s not who I am.” Pray for as little drama as possible – that’s a word I hear a lot, kids want away from “all that drama.” Stick to friends who help you, but also be willing to help someone else through their drama – At times it comes from a very rough home life and they need you. They need you to be a calm, consistent rock in their stormy lives. Then, you can show them who Jesus is to you – and can be to them. If they keep causing drama, back away but also say why and how they can get back with you more.

5. Pray for their victory over temptations.

Part of having victory is staying away from those who tempt, of course. But, we do it to ourselves when we’re not careful. My Government teacher, Mr. Lang, was very impressed when another kid in our class said “Peer pressure is just a big cop out.” That young man was right – we all make our own choices in life.

Some face more temptations than others. A kid with unsaved parents will face it to stop following God – and fall for it if not careful. We all get tempted by things of the world, but 1 Cor. 10:13 says God always provides a way of escape.

Sometimes that way is hard to see. 1 John 2:16 shows the 3 types.

The lust of the flesh is like if a good-looking boy or girl makes you think of only them and forget about family or even God if you’re not careful.; it’s why my niece added about one day being “old and wrinkly” in her wedding vows. We should love the person inside.

Same with the lust of the eyes – it’s our desires, a very similar one that is more about wanting a nicer bike, more money, better looks, etc.. We forget Heb. 13:5 – “Be content with such things as ye have, for He hath said ‘I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.’”

The pride of life is the 3rd. It’s false pride & shows in many ways: Thinking we’re better than others or deserve more; Putting our plans ahead of God’s or thinking we know better than Him; and, many other things that keep us from our full potential.

Pray to resist temptation, so you can earn Heavenly rewards that never grow old.

6. Pray they still keep their joy in Christ during suffering.

My broken leg helping Sander come to faith in Jesus is a great example. I knew good would come of it, I just didn’t know what. So, we don’t have to be able to see the end result, we just need to remember God’s faithfulness. This can be hard, especially when that suffering comes because you resisted temptation, and another kid made fun of you for it.

In a case like that, self-talk helps. What do you say to yourself? President Lincoln struggled with his faith during the Civil War. He finally issued the Emancipation Proclamation and declared the war to be to end slavery. He was attacked a lot for this & many other things. He finally learned to have a Godly attitude. He said: “If the end brings me out all right, what's said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference.”

This prayer is really about making sure we – and our kids, our friends, etc. – have that attitude. That God is going to be glorified because they stood for what was right, even if they suffered for it. As a wise preacher put it, “We’re not fighting for victory; we’re fighting from victory.” In other words, the end of the Bible shows we win. And, the suffering of this present time isn’t worthy to be compared to the joy that awaits us.(Rom. 8:18)

7. Pray for their boldness in truth.

Because we’ve already won, we can be bold in our witness, standing for the truth of God Word. Bold to show what we are for - Christ’s unconditional love, grace, & mercy; salvation by faith and not works; loving the sinner, yet still hating sin; etc..

We should also pray to recognize what truth is, and not mistake traditions for truth. Take Scotland - men wear plaid skirts called kilts. Except in the College of Wooster band, men here never wear them. When Paul writes of mens’ and womens’ clothing, he’s discussing something specific to that day. The application for us is that we all have a role in God’s family. It’s in the same Bible book where Paul says the eye shouldn’t say to the ear, “You’re not an eye, I have no use for you” and so on. Besides, in the Middle Ages, society not only had clothing by gender but by class of society, based on the feudal Pyramid of Power.

Truth must come from the Bible - “Thy Word is Truth.”(John 17:17) Confrontation may come, but must be in love. Respecting others isn’t the same as agreeing. Our society destroys each other, but Jesus warns that’s the devil doing that.(John 10:10) Jesus came that we might have life and life more abundantly.  God didn’t put us here to win arguments. He put us here to win souls. We can stand for truth and build others up, lovingly trying to grasp what they say, and seeking to understand where they got their ideas and how we can help them see the light of the Gospel and the perfect love of Jesus which casts out fear

Keep making much of Jesus, and He’ll make much of you. He wants you to grow in Him, follow Him, and watch His perfect plan for your life unfold.