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“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” — Isaiah 58:6 (NIV)
Fasting is really simply giving something up that consumes our time and attention—like the time you spend watching your favorite TV show or YouTube channel or eating ice cream or cookies and instead giving that time and attention to the Lord. Fasting is something God calls us to do and take part in. But before we do something like this, it’s really important we ask and understand why we’re doing it. God doesn’t just want us to fast because “it’s the right thing to do,” He wants us to fast so our hearts will change, we’ll know Him more, we’ll look more like Him, and we’ll live more like Him.
Dear God, I want to be obedient to Your call to fast, and I want to do it with a pure heart. Open my mind and heart to see what You want to do in and through this time, and give me the strength to walk in everything You’re calling me to. Amen.
“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ . . . Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.” — 1 Peter 1:18–21 (NIV)
Do you know how special you are to God? He created every part of you. He knows your thoughts before you even think them. He knows how many hairs are on your head. Sit down with your parents and make a list of the special qualities God has given you. What color hair did He give you? What color are your eyes? What else is unique about you? Do you have dimples? What about freckles? As children of God, it’s important to know how special we are to Him.
Parents, take the time to find Bible verses about who we are to the Lord and share them with your kid(s).
Dear God, I want to know how special I am in Your eyes. Please show me the truth in Your Word about who I am to You. Thank You for creating me so uniquely. Amen.
“Through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.” — Colossians 1:20 (NLT)
We’re able to have a relationship with God because of Jesus, because He took the punishment we deserved by living a perfect life, dying, and then rising back to life! Oh the gift that Jesus is, oh the gift He’s given us—a relationship with our God and Creator! Spend some time with your family talking through all the ways that a relationship with Jesus has changed each of you. Then spend some time thanking Jesus for making the gift of salvation possible.
Jesus, I’m so thankful for who You are and what you’ve done. Help me to consider and meditate on You and all that You’ve done. May Your gifts of reconciliation, peace with God, and salvation become something I’m so in awe of and grateful for. I love you and thank you. Amen.
And the most amazing and beautiful labels we could ever receive:
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.” — Galatians 3:26 (NIV, emphasis added)
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” — John 1:12 (NIV, emphasis added)
Reflect on this list and what it means for your life every single day.
It’s incredible to think that every single one of the things listed above applies to us even on our worst days. This also means they apply to everyone around you as well. So, with that in mind, I challenge you to encourage someone with some of the words on this list. Maybe your mom, dad, or teacher is having a bit of a hard day and needs to be reminded of who they are in Jesus. That is a great opportunity to pull out this list (you should write it down in a notebook or a journal) and read it or hand it to them to encourage their heart.
Dear God, thank You for calling me every single one of the things on this list. Help me to remember what You say about me when I forget or lose sight of what You have said. Also help me to be a light and remind others of who they are in You. Help me to remember that no matter what I do in this life, my identity will be only found in You. Amen.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” — Matthew 11:28–30 (NIV)
Get some note cards. On one side of each card, write some hurtful, negative, or bad things people have said about you or that you believe about yourself. Under each word, write down how this makes you feel. Now, re-read the list of verses showing what God says about you. On the other side of the card, write down a verse that fights against the hurtful and negative words. As you go about your fast this week, remember to say to yourself, “Because of Jesus, this is who God says I am!”
Dear Lord, help me to remember who I am in You! Help me to live with happiness about who I am because You made me and love me. Help me to stop believing the lies and hurtful things people have said about me or that I have actually begun to believe about myself and instead to hold on tightly to what I am through Your Son Jesus. Amen.
“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” — Romans 8:31–39 (NIV)
Are you feeling alone at school? Remember that God is the ultimate friend—He’s always with you and believes in you. Do you feel misunderstood? God knows you better than you know yourself! He created you. Feeling like you’ve taken the blame for something you didn’t do? God makes all things right. He is always with you, and His love will never run out. He is enough and can satisfy your greatest desires!
Dear Jesus, remind my heart today of the way You work all things for my good. Remind me that You gave up the person You loved the most so I could know You and spend eternity with You. Help me to grasp the fullness and significance of that! Thank You that I don’t need to walk in shame, but rather freedom because of the gift of salvation. Thank You that in You and through You, I don’t have to give into temptation, fear, jealousy, loneliness, and pride. Thank You I can always rely on You, no matter how hard the season is. I love you. Amen.
“I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.” — Psalm 119:45 (NIV)
This verse tells us to cultivate a heart of righteousness. The Bible, God’s Word, tells us that if we look for Him, we will find Him! We get to know who Jesus is by reading about Him and talking to Him every day. Do you have a best friend or someone you love hanging out with? What if you never spent time with your friend—if you never talked to them, asked them questions, or read their text messages or notes? You wouldn’t have a very close friendship, would you? It’s the same way with Jesus! He wants to know you and wants you to know Him, but that’s impossible if you don’t spend time with Him. The best way to get to know Him is by reading His Word every day.
Have you ever planted a seed and couldn’t wait for it to grow and turn into a plant or flower? What did you do to that seed? Did you ignore it and forget about it? No!
You had to water that plant and make sure it had sunlight and fresh air. You had to nourish it and help it to grow and develop. The same is true with your relationship with Jesus! There are so many good daily reading plans on the YouVersion Bible app! Start by watching the Kids Bible Experience video and make this a priority in your morning routine, just like brushing your teeth.
Dear Jesus, thank You for Your Word that teaches me all about You and Your righteousness and how to live by Your commands. Please help me to devote my whole life to knowing You better and better and by spending time with You every day. Help me to understand Your Word when I read the Bible. I want to know everything about You. Thank You that You love me and for being my friend. Thank You I can be free to be me, who You created me to be, by knowing who my Father and friend forever is. I love you, Jesus. Amen.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” — Hebrews 12:1–3 (NIV, emphasis added)
Just like runners in a race, it can be easy to lose focus and drift off course. But when you have someone running in front of you, you know the way to run. Jesus is our forerunner! And when we focus our attention on Him, we can run the race marked out for us with perseverance. Ask yourself: What kind of things have hindered me from running the race with endurance? How can I internationally fix my eyes on Jesus today?
Lord, help me to throw aside everything that hinders me in my relationship with You. Help me focus so I won’t get distracted by the things of this world and run my race well. Put something in my path today that will turn my attention back to Christ! Amen.
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” — Romans 8:1 (NIV, emphasis added)
Condemnation is a big word. It simply means there is no judgment towards the bad things you’ve done; all of those things have been forgiven. Think about how amazing that is! Does it mean that for everyone? No, it means it only for those who have given their lives to Jesus. He loves you so much that when He died on the cross for you and rose again, all of your sins were forgiven the day you gave your life to Him. So, remind yourself daily of how much Jesus loves you and forgive yourself for the things He’s already forgiven you for.
Dear God, thank You so much for Your Son, Jesus, who died for me. Help me to see myself like You see me. Help me to see myself as a person who’s been forgiven and to live a life of freedom with no shame. I love You. Amen.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” — Romans 12:1 (NIV, emphasis added)
What do you think of when you hear the word “worship?” Maybe the first thing that comes to mind is singing a song of praise to the Lord—and that’s definitely a form of worship! But that’s not the only way we can worship the Lord. We can actually worship God through everything we do! In Romans 12:1, Paul explains that we worship and please God when we offer our full selves to Him. Remember, God loves us fully, so He wants us to worship Him fully! Spend some time with your family coming up with ways you can worship the Lord every day.
Dear Jesus, thank You for Your sacrifice on the cross and for loving me so, so much! I pray that You teach me what it looks like to worship You fully in everything that I do. Show me how I can please You even in the small, everyday things. I love you! Amen.
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe” — Hebrews 12:28 (NIV, emphasis added)
Imagine a kingdom that cannot be shaken, cannot be moved, and cannot be stopped‑—a kingdom that will never end. We’re get to receive that kingdom when we accept Jesus into our hearts. How awesome is that? Let’s thank Him and worship Him! What else can we worship God and thank Him for? Find a quiet space and worship and thank God for whatever comes to your mind. Remember, you are God’s child, He loves you, and He wants to hear from you.
Dear Jesus, thank You for the unshakable kingdom You have given me. Help me to live my life worshiping You and thanking You for all You have done. Amen.
“Plant your feet firmly therefore within the freedom that Christ has won for us, and do not let yourselves be caught again in the shackles of slavery.” — Galatians 5:1 (PHILLIPS, emphasis added)
Don’t you feel bad when you do the same bad thing over and over? Like if you tell a lie and you say, “I’ll never do that again,” but then you tell another lie. This verse in Galatians tells us that Jesus has given us the freedom to not have to keep sinning over and over. We can choose to do the right thing. To do this, we have to plant our feet firmly in the freedom Christ won for us. This means we do things like this prayer plan, we read our Bible, we talk to God, and we get good Christian friends.
Dear God, please help plant my feet firmly in the freedom Christ won for me. Surround me with people who love You and give me a desire to read my Bible more. Help me live in freedom and not in slavery to my sins. Amen.
“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” — Philippians 2:12–13 (NIV, emphasis added)
What awesome news to hear that God has a purpose for our lives. He deeply desires for us to grow in faith and closer to Him. We’re encouraged to obey God even when it gets difficult, which points us to an important principle: to do the right thing, especially when no one is watching. It’s called integrity. God is more awesome and holy than we can possibly imagine, and it takes work to walk in His ways and obey His commands.
Lord thank You for all You’ve done for me. Help me to be more like You. May my actions and words make you proud. Help me to grow closer to You, and give me the strength to obey Your Word. Amen.
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” — Ephesians 6:13 (NIV, emphasis added)
When I was younger, I used to make armor for myself out of cardboard boxes, and then I would ask my sister to pretend to be a bad guy and throw Lego pieces at my armor. It made me feel strong and safe. I know it was just pretend, but it didn’t hurt when she hit the cardboard box. Unfortunately, her aim wasn’t great and I felt the pain when she missed. Ephesians 6:13 tells us about a different kind of armor: the armor of God. The armor of God isn’t meant to protect you from Lego pieces. Keep reading through Ephesians 6 and you’ll learn what all the armor pieces can do. Ask your parents to help you make armor out of boxes and other things and label all the different pieces of armor with Post-its or markers as described in Ephesians 6.
Dear God, help me to put on Your armor as I start each day. Help me to trust You more than anything else and to always know that You are my protection. Give me everything I need to always stand for You. I also pray for the leaders in our schools, cities, state, and country to lead well and stand for You. Amen.
“And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.” — Colossians 4:3 (NIV)
Has your teacher ever asked you to do something and the first thing you questioned was, “Will I get extra points for doing this?” Or has your mom asked you to clean your room and you asked her how much she will pay you for doing that? We usually are willing to help others if they’ll do something for us. Serving is the opposite of that attitude. In today’s Bible verse, Jesus teaches us to serve one another in love. What does that mean? Our motivation for serving must come from our love for God and others and our desire to be more like Jesus. Serving isn’t about what people can do for us, it’s about what we can do for others. How can you serve the people around you? Ask God to show you how He wants you to serve others. Then, write down the ways you can serve others in your home, in your neighborhood, and in your community.
Dear Father, help me to love You with all my heart and to love others as I love myself. Show me practical ways I can help others, which will also show them the love of Jesus. Amen.
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” — Psalm 34:18 (NIV)
Think about a toy you REALLY wanted, or your FAVORITE outfit, or when you visited the place of your dreams for the FIRST TIME. Wasn’t it exciting? You probably didn’t know if you should cry or laugh. You were just so happy in that moment, because you had been waiting for it for a long time—it’s something your heart really desired. What’s the next thing you wanted to do? Of course you wanted to tell everyone about your new toy, outfit, or vacation because you love it and you want everyone to know.
Isn’t Jesus the best gift you could have ever received? He has made you brand new. He has forgiven all the mistakes and sins of your life. And the best part of it is that Jesus wants YOU to share that with the people around you.
Can you think of one person who is having a hard time? Maybe they have been sad or feeling lonely. To cheer them up, you can share what Jesus has done for you in your life and invite them to know Him, too!
Dear Father, thank You for making me a new person and for forgiving my sins and all the mistakes I’ve made so far. I want to be Your friend and tell everyone about You. Please help me to be bold and strong to tell my friends and family about You, about Your love, and how You want us to be new creations in you. Help me to be more like You so they can see You in me. I want to share all the good news I know about You with others. Amen.
“Also, do good things for the city I sent you to. Pray to the Lord for the city you are living in, because if there is peace in that city, you will have peace also.” — Jeremiah 29:7 (ERV)
I was recently driving with my grandma to her house. As we were entering her small town, she started to pray for the people in her town by name (and for everyone she didn’t know very well, too), that they would know Jesus personally and that the love of God would flow to everyone. She really loves her little town and neighborhood and she knows the people there need God. It reminded me of when I drive and go from city to city. I always see a sign that says, “Welcome to the City of . . .” Next time you see one of those signs, pray for the people in that city, that they would know God personally and have His peace.
Dear God, I thank You for the city I live in. Please help more people to know You and follow You. Please fill the hearts of those in my city with Your peace. Help me to be kind and loving to my neighbors so that Your light would shine through my life. Amen.
“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” — Isaiah 1:17 (NIV)
As Christians, we all share one mission: to spread the good news of Jesus to everyone. We should want people to know Jesus, and we should look for opportunities to tell people about Jesus every day! Thankfully, we don’t have to do it alone. God will help us and give us strength! Let’s take some time today to ask the Lord to help us, and Christians all around the world, as we share His good news with others.
Dear God, thank you for trusting me to share the good news. Please give me the strength to spread the gospel to everyone around me. I also pray for all the Christians around the world. Please open doors for the gospel to spread. Make us brave, and give us the right words as we share Jesus with those around us. Thank You for the hope You have given us through the life, death, and resurrection of Your Son! Amen.
“I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” — Matthew 5:44–47 (NIV)
Who will you talk to today? Your family? Your friends? Of course you’ll talk to them today. You talk to them every day. You hang out with them all of the time. You enjoy spending time with them because you love them. It’s easy to love people who love you, too.
But what about the girl that told lies about you, the boy that makes jokes about you because you go to church, or the person that cut in front of you in the lunch line? Do these people deserve to be loved by us? Jesus says YES! We’re to love these people like we love our friends, and we’re to pray for these people. Trust me, it’s not always easy, but in doing so it shows the love of God to the people around us. It shows the world we’re different from them because we have experienced the love of Jesus and we want to show that to everyone. Right now, think of someone you can love instead of hate today. Think of ways you can pray for that person right here, right now.
Dear Jesus, thank You so much for the love You’ve shown to me, even when I didn’t love You. Jesus, please help me to love and forgive (insert the name of the person(s) you thought about above) today the same way You have loved and forgiven me. Amen.
“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” — Galatians 5:13–14 (NIV)
When you see someone in pain, or bullied, or put down, what is your first response? Is it to help them, pray for them, and to stand up for them? In today’s Bible verse, God is asking us to be there for people, especially those who are hurting. He wants us to ask Him how He would care for them and to ask Him what is the right thing we can do for that person or friend. Perhaps you see someone like that every day. Today, ask God how He can use you to care for them and show them His love.
Thank You God for giving me the opportunity to care for Your people and see their needs. Thank You for the compassion You have for the world and those I get to meet. Please help me today to see who is hurting and how I can show them Your love. I want to honor You and stand up for what is right. I love You Jesus. Amen.
“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” — 2 Corinthians 5:18–20 (NIV)
Sometimes when someone is going through a really hard time, we might not feel like we have the right words to comfort them or help them. But it’s so comforting to know that Jesus is near them and will comfort them. But then that leaves us with the question of what should we do while we wait for them to be comforted, right? Well, we should pray for them and remind them of the truth in God’s Word. How amazing would it be to be reminded that you’re not alone and that God is near you when you’re having a really bad day? So, I challenge you to keep an eye out for someone who is having a really hard day and encourage them with the truth of God’s Word and what you have learned about God during a hard time.
Jesus, thank You that You are near to me and that You save me. I pray for those that need You to be a little closer today. I pray that they’ll feel comforted by Your presence. Help me to remember to pray for those who are having a hard time and to have the courage to be there for others. (Take a little bit of time to remember a friend or family member that is going through a tough experience and pray for them specifically right now,) Thank You for everything Your Word tells me about You. Amen.