“I would pray that I bless all the people in the world and all the animals, my cat, Rusty, especially,” says Noah, age 6. Noah would also ask God to bless his house and other people’s houses and “to make the parks really fun.”

Somewhere in Petaluma, California, there’s a blessed cat named Rusty.

“I pray that everyone in the world has food,” says Clare, 5. We often take for granted the blessings of abundant food when many people suffer from malnutrition and starvation. It’s easy to become desensitized because we’re bombarded with so many media images of starving children.

Quality organizations like Food for the Hungry and AMG International provide opportunities to sponsor needy children for less than the price of a soft drink or a cup of coffee a day. They care for the whole person by providing physical and spiritual food for children and their families. *

“I pray that all the wars will stop but, most of all, that all kinds of people will know you (God): freaks, jocks, geeks and everyone will know you no matter who it is and what color they are,” says Sandy, 10.

Heaven’s streets will overflow with earth’s outcasts. Whether empowered outcasts such as tax collectors or freaky outcasts such as the formerly demon possessed, they seized the moment by believing in Jesus as the promised messiah. They pressed into the kingdom (Luke 16:16).

For the most part, Jesus didn’t attract the respectable and elite of society. Most religious leaders and rich people felt offended and threatened by Jesus’ statement that whores and tax collectors would enter heaven before them.

“I pray that there won’t be any more violence or wars in America,” says Justin, 7. “I pray that America will win if there are any wars.”

Justin prays smart. No one wants war. But if evil people threaten life and liberty, we must stop them. The hijackers who flew planes into buildings on September 11 unveiled the face of evil. The kind of hatred that justifies murdering innocent civilians is demonic. Only the darkest of souls could believe the lie that a suicide mission to murder innocent civilians guarantees entrance into paradise.

We should thank God every day for the courageous men and women who have given their lives to secure freedom and for those who risk their lives to protect freedom. Police, firefighters and military personnel deserve our support, respect and honor.

“I pray for all the people in the world who don’t believe in Jesus Christ our Lord,” says Catie, 9.

Prayer for people represents the unseen battle in spiritual realms against terror. If our eyes were opened, most of us would be shocked at the intensity of the spiritual war being fought for control of people including national leaders.

We live in a time when the harvest is great, but the laborers are few. Jesus commanded us to preach the gospel, not to force it on anyone. The idea of forced love is a contradiction.

“But God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

God clearly demonstrated his love for us by sending his son to die as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. I’ve found that God usually prompts me to demonstrate the love of Christ in some tangible way to those for whom I pray. God’s love usually works like a magnet that draws people.

Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to myself” (John 12:32).

Begin praying for others today, and see the drawing power of God’s love work in their lives.

Kids Talk About God is designed for families to study the Bible together. Research shows that parents who study the Bible with their children give their character, faith and spiritual life a powerful boost. To receive Kids Talk About God three times a week in a free, email subscription, visit www.KidsTalkAboutGod.org/email.