Family Worship Guide for July 26, 2026
Prepare for Songs and Psalms
A Song to Learn This Week
Practice this hymn with your children, and talk about what it means.
66 | “This Is My Father’s World,” Maltbie D. Babcock, Franklin L. Sheppard
From The Sing! Hymnal: “The author of this hymn once wrote, ‘Every gift is from above to take our thoughts and thanks above. God’s gifts are to lift up our faces to his, to awaken us to love him… The birds and flowers are his appeal to trust; the stately order of the heavens, to symmetry and steadiness; the beauty of nature, to the beauty of holiness; the affections of earth, to the perfect love of which they are but dear fragments.’ This hymn appeals to all the human senses and fills us with praise, reminding us in difficult moments that ‘God is the ruler yet!’”
Responsive Reading: Psalm 1
Read the Psalm together. Practice saying it responsively. Try memorizing one or more verses.
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Talk About the Songs and Psalms
Choose a verse from a song or psalm. Read it together and discuss these questions using the “Swedish method:”
- What do you notice about these words? What do you like? What is surprising?
- Is there anything you don’t understand? Is there anything you wonder about?
- What do these words tell you about God? What do they tell you about yourself?
- Talk to God together about what you’ve discussed. Praise Him, thank Him, and ask for His help.
Prepare for Children’s Worship
Use this guide to prepare your children for their time learning in the classroom on Sunday morning (and for the Old and New Testament readings).
Unit 13 Memory Verse | 1 Kings 8:60 — “That all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other.”
Unit 13 Big Picture Q&A | How many gods are there? | Preschool: There is one true God. | Elementary: There is one true God who alone deserves worship.
Bible Story | “Elijah Confronted Ahab,” 1 Kings 18–19. Read this story to your children from the Bible or from a storybook Bible. Prompt your children to describe the characters and events of the passage.
Christ Connection | God sent fire down from heaven to prove that He alone is Lord. God sent the Holy Spirit like flames of fire on Jesus’ disciples to empower them to tell others that Jesus is God’s Son who saves people from sin.
Introduction to the Story
What is the boldest request you’ve ever made to the Lord? Have you ever experienced God answer your prayers in a uniquely powerful way? In this week’s Bible story, we see how God answered Elijah’s prayers.
King Ahab led the people to worship Baal. The prophet Elijah condemned Ahab for leading the people astray and instructed him to gather all the people and prophets of Baal for an epic showdown. The test was simple: both Elijah and the prophets of Baal would offer sacrifices to see if Baal would respond or if God would respond.
The prophets of Baal cried out, danced, and prayed all day with no response or hint of fire on their altar. When Elijah’s turn came, he prepared the bull on the altar but took his trust in the Lord a step further by asking for water to be poured on top, saturating it completely. Elijah prayed, “Lord, let it be known that you are God in Israel, and I am your servant. Answer so that this people will know that you, the Lord, are God.”
Immediately, fire fell from heaven and completely consumed the offering along with the wood, the stones, and even the water! After the showdown at the altar, Jezebel sought to kill Elijah, and Elijah fled. This time, Elijah’s prayer was one of weariness and desperation. Again, God proved faithful to Elijah and answered his prayer. The Lord spoke to Elijah in a whisper and encouraged him, reminding him that the Lord would save those who remained faithful to Him.
The people of Israel knew that the Lord is the one true God when He answered Elijah’s prayer and sent fire down from heaven. In the same way, people would know that Jesus is God’s Son when the Holy Spirit came down like a dove when Jesus was baptized. Jesus is the Son of God and gave His life up for us.
Remember that God hears and answers the prayers of those who belong to Him. Thank the Lord for His faithfulness to listen and respond to our prayers. Remind boys and girls that through Jesus, we can boldly take our requests to God!
Watch the Biggest Story video about Elijah
Prepare for Pulpit Ministry
This Week’s Text | John 7:25–26
Some Context for Adults | From the Gospel Coalition Commentary: “Jesus ominously hints that he will only be present a little while longer; after this, he will go to a place where people cannot come. Again, people are confused, asking where Jesus could possibly go where he cannot be found: will he go into the Diaspora (dispersion) across the Mediterranean where many of the Jews are scattered and teach the Greeks (i.e., Gentiles)? They simply cannot understand what Jesus is saying because he is uttering spiritual truths, while they lack any spiritual understanding and interpret Jesus’s words merely on a human, earthly plane.”
COMA Questions
Context, Observation, Meaning, Application
- What do you remember from the previous story in the Gospel of John?
- What do you notice about this passage? Are there any words you don’t know?
- What do you think is the message or story of this passage?
- What do you think God wants you to think or do after reading this passage?
Pray | After you have read and discussed the passage, thank God for His Word and ask Him to apply it to your life. Ask for the specific applications you identified in your discussion.
