Posts Tagged Song of Joy

Teaching A Child To Pray by Song of Joy

“LORD, teach us to pray” Luke 11:1

Empowering children to pray is teaching them to S.T.O.P. (Sing-Talk-Obey-Praise), and communicating with God through Jesus Christ by the aid of the Holy Spirit.

Some persons may question why teach children to pray as over time as they grow, praying will become natural.  Why chance years of waiting when they can receive tools for training at an early age on how to have, not an ordinary Christian life, but one of power because of prayer. God told parents to train up a child and prayer is  an area that is included in training them because it affects a child’s spiritual growth.   As children increase in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man, they can enjoy as a child many of His wonderful promises (Luke 2:52).  How sweet it is to grow up without having an ungodly fear about prayer.

Every parent’s dream is for their child to aim higher and reach areas they themselves have not been able to accomplish or become successful in.  Teaching a child to S.T.O.P. while communicating with God are some keys that will open some powerful doors to pray as they travel the pathway of life.

SING: Coming before his presence, making a joyful unto the LORD, making a loud noise, and rejoicing, and singing praise ring through the Psalms.  Psalms 100:2; 98:4

 

TALK: Diligently talk (about the goodness of God – commandments) when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.  Deuteronomy 6:7

 

OBEDIENT: Train up a child (teach them to be obedient) in the way he/she should go: and when he is older, he will not depart from it.”  Proverbs 22:6

 

PRAISE: …. Praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because He is good, for His mercy endureth forever.  Ezra 3:11

 

Listed below are a few techniques that will help you to encourage your child to pray.

– Find a picture and have the child thank God for each thing they see in the picture, e.g., ( Thank you LORD for the ___________,) ending it by saying, “In the name of  Jesus, Amen.”

 

– Write a two-line prayer and post it on your refrigerator.  Read it to your child each day for two weeks and then write another one and post it next to Prayer #1.  (If the child can read, let him/her read it also).    You will notice that the child will learn the prayer by heart .

 

– Teach the model prayer by praying each verse, e.g., “Our Father who art in heaven, thank you for your holiness.  In Jesus name, Amen.”

 

–  Have the child to thank the LORD not only for the main meals, but also for snacks.

 

– Pray out loud each day the Word of God and let your child be in ear shot.

 

                                                                      Enjoy Praying!

Song of Joy (Carol. T. Turnbough. )

May the grace of God in you be even stronger in your prayer life and the prayer life of your child. May your child increase in his/her prayer life. May your family pray together without ceasing.  In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Carol Turnbough aka “Song of Joy” – Song of Joy teaches and ministers to children and youth. She loves to praise God with her whole heart. She writes songs and skits to the glory of God and serves on the Music Ministry of Messiah Baptist Church in Detroit, MI. She also serves on the Christian Education Administrative Team and teaches Sunday School. Equipped with God’s love, grace and mercy,   God has blessed her with the spiritual gifts of teaching, helps, songs and administration.  She exclaims, “ I have a passion for praising and singing to God with all my heart and sharing with children about the love and goodness of God

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I Don’t Care What I Look Like (What About You?)

We should praise the Lord with our whole heart. Do we truly praise the Lord without shame and are able to say,”I don’t care what I look like”? Are we afraid of appearing undignified? Well, I have learned to praise the Lord with all of my heart. I listened to  the following song:

 

UNDIGNIFIED PRAISE

I will dance, I will sing to be mad for my King
Nothing, Lord, is hindering the passion in my soul
I will dance, I will sing to be mad for my King
Nothing, Lord, is hindering the passion in my soul

And I’ll become even more undignified than this
Some would say it’s foolishness
But I’ll become even more undignified than this
Leave my pride by the side

Songwriter – Matt Redman

 

You know how when you first hear a song you jump to a conclusion and say “I don’t like that song?” Well, undignified praise was not for me, until . . .

 

I was intrigued as I read the story of King David “dancing in the street.”  In 2 Samuel, we have a king, “dancing in the street” and not caring or worrying about what others thought. The King had overseen the return of the Ark, and as it returned he couldn’t contain his joy. I’m sure joy bells were ringing in his soul. The joy in his heart and soul made him “dance with all his might,” leaping and dancing. I’m sure if they would have had break dancing back in the day, he would have been spinning around on the ground. It had to be a sight to see because as his wife, Michal, King Saul’s daughter, watched from her window, she didn’t care for her husband’s, the king, behavior. She was so disgusted, she despised him in her heart.

 

After celebrating with Israel and returning home to rejoice with Michal, she met him at the door with a rolling-head attitude, and sarcastically mocked him: “How glorious the King of Israel looked today! He exposed himself to the girls along the street like a common pervert” (2 Samuel 6:20). King David didn’t let that steal his joy. He responded by saying, “It was before the LORD, who chose me, who appointed me ruler over the LORD’S people, Israel – I will celebrate before the Lord – I will become even more undignified than this” (2 Samuel 6: 21,22a).

 

The definition of undignified is “appearing foolish, lacking in dignity, demeaning, unworthy and unbefitting. David, the man after God’s own heart, was so in tune with God’s heart that he was unconcerned with the thoughts of the one who should have known his love for his God. He did not mind looking “undignified” for the Lord. His focus was on glorifying the true and living God and proclaiming, “Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, the LORD’S name is to be praised. The LORD is high above all nations, and His glory above the heavens” (Psalms 113: 2-4).

 

His anointed words are prayers for my life – “becoming more undignified” in my celebration for the goodness and greatness of the LORD. I pray that I completely release my fears and worship with great joy and expectation, inside and outside of the walls of the sanctuary. Oh to have the courage of David, to be willing to look foolish in the eyes of people in order to worship God truly and honestly.

“Song of Joy”

Prayer:

Gracious LORD God, You are worthy of all worship and adoration. The times I need to worship You with all my might isn’t just in the good times, but also more when I’m facing something completely out of my control. I’m understanding even more now it’s when l speak or sing of God’s wonderful power and majesty that You bring wisdom and peace. Forgive me for letting others’ opinions influence how I worship and praise You. Holy Spirit, please help me to focus more on your majesty and less on myself. I Love You, Lord! In Jesus Name, Amen.

 

Carol Turnbough aka “Song of Joy” – Song of Joy teaches and ministers to children and youth. She loves to praise God with her whole heart. She writes songs and skits to the glory of God and serves on the Music Ministry of Messiah Baptist Church in Detroit, MI. She also serves on the Christian Education Administrative Team and teaches Sunday School.

 

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No Matter What, Give Thanks! by Song of Joy

No Matter What, Give Thanks!

 

“ In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”  1 Thessalonians 5:18

Can you remember a time when you did something wrong but it worked out for your good?” One day I was reading from the book “Power of Praise” while driving. (I know, I know it was a NO-NO – reading while driving.) It was like I was drawn to keep reading. When I stopped at the traffic light on 7 Mile and Hubbard on my way to tutor some children at a home school, I was still reading when the light changed and I didn’t take off. There wasn’t anyone behind me so no one blew a horn. I just kept on reading and the next thing I knew a car came speeding by and ran the green light. I yelled, “Thank You Jesus!”.

I still had time to go, but I just sat there through another red light and thanked God. Also, I had to give my heart time to slow down because it was racing a mile a minute.  Just the thought of what might have happened If I had not been reading, “Power of Praise” scared me. l would have been hit.

I remember another time when I and two  of my daughters  were returning from shopping for a family of 3 for Angel Tree. Angel Tree is an organization that showers children with gifts whose parent/parents are incarcerated. As we were leaving the store the aroma of the popcorn was so overpowering that I broke down and purchased 3 bags. I reminded the girls to be very careful and not to drop one kernel because we were not to be eating in the car. Guess What? You may be thinking, “The girls dropped kernels.” Right! But not only did the girls drop popcorn but I did my share, but it’s how that will make you say, “WOW.”

We stopped at a traffic light (yes, another traffic light- but I wasn’t reading) on Grand River and Beech Daly to let a couple of Fire Trucks go by, but the vehicle behind me, plus 4 others didn’t stop. The Buick behind me pushed us under the Van that was in front of me. Each time there was a bump we were going even further under the van, yelling “Jesus” and throwing popcorn. It was a sight! When it was over, all the popcorn was out of the bags all over the car. When we got out of the car and I asked the girls if they were OK. My next statement was, “Daddy is going to get us. We got popcorn all over the car.” We jumped back in the car and proceeded to pick-up the popcorn before my husband, Javan got there. Psalm 34: 8(a) says, “O taste and see that the LORD is good”. Well, that popcorn tasted good, but the goodness of the LORD tasted even better!

When we got home the 3 of us headed to the basement and we prayed and thanked the Lord that we didn’t get hurt. I even got some olive oil and anointed our heads and necks so we wouldn’t be sore the next day.

A Thankful Prayer

Most grateful Father, thank You for opportunities to be able to give You thanks and praise even when I am not following You according to Your Word. I thank You for being God by Yourself for there is no other God like You. “Oh that men would praise the Lord for His mighty Acts.” I praise You for being a God that never slumbers nor sleeps. Amen

By Carol Turnbough  called “Song of Joy”. – Song of Joy teaches and ministers to children and youth. She loves to praise God with her whole heart. She writes songs and skits to the glory of God and serves on  the Music Ministry of Messiah Baptist Church in Detroit, MI. She also serves on the Christian Education Administrative Team and teaches Sunday School.

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