Father' Day

Thankful today for a father who was not perfect. Thankful for a father who was "so much fun to be with." Thankful for a father who played Mah Jong when I came home just b/c I wanted to and we needed a 4th. Thankful for a father who was my computer helpline and tax advisor. Thankful for a father who taught me the correct way to type.  Thankful for a father who took me to Soperton to get my driver's license on my actual 16th birthday b/c Dublin's office wasn't open that day...not once, but twice b/c I forgot my proof of driver's ed. Thankful for a father who was willing to climb on the roof to make my wedding day perfect...thankful that my brother did it instead! Thankful for a father who taught my children that Doe's has the best steaks. Thankful for a father who was my biggest fan. Thankful for a father who loved me unconditionally. 

Thankful for a father who is with my Father forever. See you soon, Daddy. 

Warrior Prayers...Day Twenty-One

Prayers for Day Twenty-One

“It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name…” (Ez. 36:22) 

My sons are mine for a moment.  They are God’s for eternity.  He loves them so much more than I can begin to imagine.  The works that He will accomplish through my sons…through your sons…is for the sake of His holy name alone—not for our family name, not for our hometown, not for their school. 

Josh Harris advises us to take this approach: “When we want to bring glory to ourselves, we share stories of great things we have done.  When we want to bring glory to God, we share stories of our weakness.”  Our society does not applaud weakness.  But in our times of weakness—times when our sons are rebelling or making poor decisions, times when our patience is nearing the end, times when it is all we can do to get up in the morning—God is shown for who He really is. 

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)  I pray that I may boast only in the way that the Holy Spirit has worked in the lives of my sons in spite of me. 

“Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.”  (Ps. 115:1)

Commit to praying the following prayers for your sons or grandsons today.

Humility

May __________humble himself before the Lord, and be exalted (James 4:10).

May __________humble himself, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt him (1 Peter 5:6).

May God give grace to __________as he humbles himself (James 4:6).

If __________who is called by My Name humbles himself, and prays and seeks My Face and turns from his wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive this sin and heal his land (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Lord, lead the humble in what is right, and teach __________Your way (Psalm 25:9).

May __________have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind (1 Peter 3:8).

May __________take God’s yoke upon him, and learn from Him, for He is gentle and lowly in heart, and __________will find rest for his soul (Matthew 11:29).

May the LORD take pleasure in__________, and adorn the humble with salvation (Psalm 149:4).

May __________have all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with others in love (Ephesians 4:2).

May __________be subject to the elders. May he clothe himself with humility toward others, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).

Warrior Prayers...Day Twenty

Prayers for Day Twenty

I pray each night that at an early age Wake will recognize his need for a Savior and that he would put all of his faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross.  How I wish that I could make this decision for him!

But I can’t.  

As Charles Spurgeon taught parents in his book Come Ye Children: “We cannot force truth upon men, but we can make our own teaching clear and decided, and make our lives consistent therewith…To be prepared for the coming conflict, we have only to preach the gospel, and to live the gospel; and also to take care that we teach the children the Word of the Lord.”

 

I must tell my children the good news…my own “amazing grace” story of Jesus saving a “wretch like me”.  My responsibility to my children is likened to that of Timothy’s to the church at Ephesus: “…preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” (2 Timothy 4:2)

I must live out the Gospel.  I need to show my children that “to obey is better than sacrifice”.  (1 Samuel 15:22)  I need to show the love of Christ to my family, friends, neighbors and the nations.  I must “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of [my] mind, that by testing [I] may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

I must teach my children the Word of God.  In his letter to young Timothy, Paul encourages him to continue in the practice of studying Scripture, as he was taught by his mother & grandmother:  “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”  (2 Timothy 3:14-15)

This is our noble calling as mothers.  No PTA office, no ministry leadership role, no career, no tennis team, nothing is as important as introducing our children to the God of the Bible, the Holy One of Israel.  Whether we work or stay at home, are single, married or divorced, have one child or seven…this is our duty, our glorious assignment.

“Mothers, the godly training of your offspring is your first and most pressing duty. Christian women, by teaching children the Holy Scriptures, are as much fulfilling their part for the Lord, as Moses in judging Israel, or Solomon in building the temple.” –Charles Spurgeon

Commit to praying the following prayers for your sons or grandsons today.

Salvation

May __________ confess with his mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in his heart that God raised Him from the dead, and be saved (Romans 10:9).

May __________be saved by grace through faith. Not of his own doing; but the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).

May __________believe in the God who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of His own purpose and grace, which He gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began (2 Timothy 1:9).

May __________fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will work for him today (Exodus 14:13).

May the LORD be __________'s light and his salvation; whom shall he fear? May the LORD be the stronghold of his life; of whom shall he be afraid? (Psalm 27:1).

May __________take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).

May __________work out his own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).

May __________be guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:5).

Lord, make Your face shine on __________; save him in Your steadfast love (Psalm 31:16).

Warrior Prayers...Day Nineteen

Prayers for Day Nineteen

There are many adjectives that could be used to describe the Old Testament prophet Jonah:  disobedient, unloving, smelly (three days in a fish belly??).  But, in the first verse of chapter four in the book that bears his name, Jonah was angry. 

“But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.”

The sad thing is that Jonah was not angry because the people of Nineveh had ignored his call to repentance.  He was not angry because his time and effort had been wasted on these heathens.  On the contrary, his proclamation had worked.  The people of Nineveh had repented.  God was going to relent and spare them.  And, that’s why Jonah was angry.  The almighty God who had been merciful to Jonah in his willful disobedience was going to forgive Israel’s hated enemy.  Jonah treasured his national pride over the grace and mercy of the Father to a nation of lost souls. 

Pride and anger often go hand in hand.  Pride in our abilities, our positions, our history and our capabilities contribute to the arrogance that often resides in our hearts just waiting to overflow in a fit of anger.  However, there is hope.

“…the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Be not quick in your spirit to become angry,
     for anger lodges in the heart of fools.” (Ecclesiastes 7:8-9)

We must teach our sons to be patient in their spirit, to reflect on issues that cause anger to well up before acting on them.  After all, “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” (Proverbs 19:11)  May our sons reflect the Lamb who was led to the slaughter, “yet did not open his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7)

Commit to praying the following prayers for your sons or grandsons today.

Anger

May all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from __________, along with all malice (Ephesians 4:31).

May__________ put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from his mouth (Colossians 3:8).

May__________ give a soft answer, which turns away wrath, and avoid harsh words which stir up anger (Proverbs 15:1).

May__________ not be quick in his spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools (Ecclesiastes 7:9).

May__________ never avenge himself, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19).

May__________ know that God Himself is our peace (Ephesians 2:14).

May__________ make peace, and so have a harvest of righteousness (James 3:18).

And let the peace of Christ rule in __________'s heart, to which indeed he was called in one body. And be thankful (Colossians 3:15).

May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard __________'s heart and mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).

May __________turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it (1 Peter 3:11).

Warrior Prayers...Day Eighteen

Prayers for Day Eighteen

My sons are 13 years old and 3 years old.  Self-control is almost non-existent in both of them. As I often remind them that they need to control themselves, control their impulses, consider the consequences, etc.,  I am so thankful that “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7)  I daily cling to the promise that the One who began a good work in each of my sons will complete it for His glory…and that the completion of that good work includes self-control coming to reign in their lives! 

Living a life of self-control is more than just controlling impulses so that our home is less chaotic.  Proverbs 25:28 tells us that “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.”  Self-control fortifies our inner being.  It builds a wall of defense around our inner man against the destructive forces of evil.

Living lives of self-control is counter-cultural.  Our culture tells us to super-size everything…from food to extracurricular activities to even church & civic involvement.  However, Paul tells young Titus as he is beginning his ministry to “urge the younger men to be self-controlled.”  He goes on to remind Titus that our Savior has shown us the way,   “training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives” (Titus 2:12) 

Look to Jesus.  His self-control in the wilderness fortified Him to be able to withstand the onslaught of the enemy.  Defeating the enemy.  That’s what we want for our sons…and it begins with self-control.

Commit to praying the following prayers for your sons or grandsons today.

Self-Control

May __________know that he is God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in him (1 Corinthians 3:16).

May __________not let sin therefore reign in his mortal body, to make him obey its passions.

May he not present his members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present himself to God as one who has been brought from death to life, and his members to God as instruments for righteousness (Romans 6:12-13).

May __________present his body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is his spiritual worship. May he not be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewal of his mind, that by testing he may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:1-2).

May __________discipline his body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others he himself should be disqualified (1 Corinthians 9:27).

Whether __________eats or drinks, or whatever he does, may he do it all to the glory of God (Ephesians 5:15).

Let not __________'s heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day (Proverbs 23:17)

Remove far from __________falsehood and lying; give him neither poverty nor riches; feed him with the food that is needful for him (Proverbs 30:8).

Let the words of __________mouth and the meditation of his heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, his Rock and his Redeemer (Psalm 19:14).

May__________have a tranquil heart that gives life to the flesh (Proverbs 14:30).

May __________be wise in doing right and stay innocent of any wrong (Romans 16:19).

Warrior Prayers...Day Seventeen

Prayers for Day Seventeen

“…Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.” (1 Timothy 6:11)

I would assume that before his conversion on the road to Damascus, Saul—the man who gave his approval to the stoning of Stephen—would not have been described as “gentle”.  Yet, Paul commanded Timothy, his “child in the faith,” to pursue gentleness, among other Godly virtues.  What a testimony to the redemptive power of the cross! 

Jesus describes himself as “gentle and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29).  Only the author and perfecter of gentleness can take a murderous spirit and turn it into one which instructs the Lord’s servant to be “kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness...”  (2 Timothy 2:24-25a)  Paul continues by explaining to Timothy why there is value in this type of attitude with those who oppose the Lord’s plans and purposes:  “God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 2:25b) 

It is so important to remind our sons that, as followers of Christ, their responsibility is to always point the lost to the Savior—the only One who can “remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh”. (Ezekiel 11:19) 

Commit to praying the following prayers for your sons or grandsons today.

Gentleness

May __________know that a gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit (Proverbs 15:4).

May __________take God’s yoke upon Him, and learn from Him, for He is gentle and lowly in heart, then __________will find rest for his soul (Matthew 11:29).

May__________ be completely humble and gentle; patient, bearing with others in love (Ephesians 4:2).

May __________be gentle, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children (1 Thessalonians 2:7).

May __________not be a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money (1 Timothy 3:3).

May __________pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness (1 Timothy 6:11).

May __________correct his opponents with gentleness that God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 2:25).

May __________speak evil of no one, avoid quarreling, be gentle, and show perfect courtesy toward all people (Titus 3:2).

May __________have wisdom from above that is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere (James 3:17).

May __________honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks him for a reason for the hope that is in him; yet do it with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).

Warrior Prayers...Day Sixteen

Prayers for Day Sixteen

Daniel’s faithfulness is unrivaled by any other man in Scripture.  He was ripped from his home in Israel, held captive in Babylon and served as advisor to a king who threw his friends into a fiery furnace.  If there was ever someone who could have questioned God, Daniel would seem to be justified in his questioning.  However, young Daniel remained faithful to the sovereign God of his fathers.  In fact, the advisors to King Darius “could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.” Daniel 6:4

My prayer, my hope, my great desire is that my sons are 21^st century Daniels. 

May my sons be “youths without blemish…competent to stand in the king’s palace.” (ch. 1, v. 4).  May they “resolve not to defile” themselves (ch. 1, v. 8) and be willing to “yield up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God”. (ch. 3, v. 28)

If they are able to remain faithful to the one true God, may those who come against them one day be able to say as King Nebuchadnezzar, “I…praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.” (ch. 4, v. 37)  Because isn’t that what it is all about…our faithfulness leading the lost to the One who embodies steadfast love and faithfulness?

I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
    I will sing praises to you among the nations.

For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the clouds.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
    Let your glory be over all the earth! (Psalm 57:9-11)

Commit to praying the following prayers for your sons or grandsons today.

Faithfulness

May __________fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and in faithfulness (Joshua 24:14).

May __________fear the LORD and serve Him faithfully with all his heart, considering what great things He has done for him (1 Samuel 12:24).

All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness for __________as he keeps His covenant and His testimonies (Psalm 25:10).

May God’s steadfast love be before __________'s eyes, as he walks in His faithfulness (Psalm 26:3).

May __________trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness (Psalm 37:3).

May the Lord never remove from __________His steadfast love or be false to His faithfulness (Psalm 89:33).

May the Lord cover __________with His pinions, and under His wings may he find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and buckle to__________(Psalm 91:4).

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake__________; may he bind them around his neck; write them on the tablet of his heart (Proverbs 3:3).

May__________ call this to mind and therefore have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love he is not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is His faithfulness.

May __________say to himself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” (Lamentations 3:21-24).

No temptation has overtaken __________that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let him be tempted beyond his ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that __________may be able to endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Warrior Prayers...Day Fifteen

Prayers for Day Fifteen

“God is great, God is good…” Many of our children’s blessings begin this way.  Years ago I remember thinking that surely 8 or 9 year old Ted would begin saying deeper dinnertime prayers eventually.  But, really, is there any deeper theology than “God is good”??

The psalmist declares the goodness of the Lord and reminds us that we should praise Him for it:  "O that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men" (Ps. 107:8). 

It is easy to remember to praise God for His goodness when the sun is shining and life seems fair.  However, we tend to question His goodness when we are in seasons of trial, loss or discouragement.  Yet, Scripture is clear…We must teach our sons that God’s goodness is constant, it is eternal, it is never-failing.  "The goodness of God endureth continually".  (Psalm 52:1) 

God’s goodness is a simple truth.  Let us teach it early and often to our sons so that when the days of questioning come, they can agree with the great preacher, Charles Spurgeon, who said “We must never tolerate an instant’s unbelief as to the goodness of the Lord; whatever else may be questioned, this is absolutely certain, that Jehovah is good; His dispensations may vary, but His nature is always the same.”

Commit to praying the following prayers for your sons or grandsons today.

Goodness

May__________ be glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD has shown to his people (1 Kings 8:66).

May goodness and mercy follow __________all the days of his life, and may he dwell in the house of the LORD forever (Psalm 23:6).

Remember not the sins of __________'s youth or his transgressions; according to Your steadfast love remember__________, for the sake of your goodness, O LORD (Psalm 25:7).

May __________believe that he shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living (Psalm 27:13).

How abundant is Your goodness, which you have stored up for __________and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind (Psalm 31:19).

May __________be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple (Psalm 65:4).

May __________taste the goodness of the word of God (Hebrews 6:5).

It is not good that __________should be alone; Lord, make him a helper fit for him (Genesis 2:18).

May __________do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, that it may go well with him (Deuteronomy 6:18).

May __________go and celebrate because of all the good things the LORD his God has given to him (Deuteronomy 26:11).

Warrior Prayers...Day Fourteen

Prayers for Day Fourteen

If our goal is to mold our sons into the image of Christ to the glory of the Father, then we must remind them that the test of true repentance is obedience to the commands of God.  In Zechariah 7:9, God’s command is clear:  “Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another”.  Our sons are to be kind.  We are to be kind.  That is not up for argument or discussion. 

However, there must be a purpose behind our kindness.  Otherwise, we are just moral people doing good deeds.  Paul tells us in Romans 2:4 “that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance”.  God’s kindness to man as individuals and toward mankind as a whole is not a reward for anything good that we do.  On the contrary, it should remind us of how wretched we are and should lead us to repentance. 

Likewise, our own acts of kindness and mercy toward others should be done with this in mind:  showing the love of the Savior and leading lost souls to repentance.  We need to teach this to our sons…our snips & snails & puppy dog tails sons…kindness is not weak.  It is Christ-like.

She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. Proverbs 31:26

Commit to praying the following prayers for your sons or grandsons today.

Kindness

May the LORD now show __________kindness and faithfulness (2 Samuel 2:6).

May __________be kind and compassionate to others, forgiving, just as in Christ God forgave him (Ephesians 4:32).

May__________, as the Lord’s servant, not be quarrelsome, but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil (2 Timothy 2:24).

May __________never repay anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to others and to everyone (1 Thessalonians 5:15).

Let __________'s speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that he may know how he ought to answer each person (Colossians 4:6).

May __________love others with brotherly affection and outdo others in showing honor (Romans 12:10).

May the Lord bless __________and keep him. May the Lord make His face shine upon him and be gracious to him; the Lord turn his face toward him and give him peace (Numbers 6:23-26).

May __________not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares (Hebrews 13:2).

May __________be kind to others, tenderhearted, forgiving others, as God in Christ forgave Him (Ephesians 4:32).

May __________live in harmony with others; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble (1 Peter 3:8).

Warrior Prayers...Day Thirteen

Prayers for Day Thirteen

There are many attributes of God for which I am immensely thankful.  But I am ashamed to admit that when I think about patience, I usually think about the patience of man (or lack thereof), as opposed to the patience of God toward man.  However, since patience is the fruit of the Spirit, God must be the creator and perfecter of patience.

“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” Psalm 103:8

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

God was patient with the people in Noah’s day…He warned them over and over through the preaching of the local boat-builder.  God was patient with the Israelites…He repeatedly delivered them out of the wasteland of their disobedience.  God was patient with Saul…Instead of killing him on the road to Damascus, He called Saul to Himself for His glory and for the blessing of the Church. 

What about us?  God’s patience with us should fill us with gratitude.  It was not long ago that we were bent on evil and focused on self.  Yet, He rescued us, the perishing, for the glory of His name. 

What about the world today?  Thanks be to God that he “has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction”. (Romans 9:22)  Maybe it’s your brother or sister’s repentance He is waiting for…

And now it’s our turn.  A.W. Pink reminds us that: “The patience of God is that excellency which causes Him to sustain great injuries without immediately avenging Himself…When tempted to be disgusted at the dullness of another, or to be revenged on one who has wronged you, call to remembrance God’s infinite patience and longsuffering with yourself.”

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” (Ephesians 5:1)

Commit to praying the following prayers for your sons or grandsons today.

Patience

May __________be an example of suffering and patience (James 5:10).

May __________be strengthened with all power, according to God’s glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy (Colossians 1:11).

May __________prove himself by his purity, understanding, patience, kindness, by the Holy Spirit within him, and by His sincere love (2 Corinthians 6:6).

May __________preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching (2 Timothy 4:2).

May __________not presume on the riches of God’s kindness and forbearance and patience, knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead him to repentance (Romans 2:4).

May__________ put on then, as God’s chosen one, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience (Colossians 3:12).

May __________be patient, for the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit (Ecclesiastes 7:8).

May __________have good sense making him slow to anger, for it is his glory to overlook an offense (Proverbs 19:11).

May __________make every effort to add to his faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love (2 Peter 1:5-7).

May __________be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness (Titus 2:2).

Warrior Prayers...Day Twelve

Prayers for Day Twelve

The prophet Isaiah promises: “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.  Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” (26:3-4)

Perfect peace.  The Hebrew word for perfect peace is “shalowm”…a peace where everything with God is as it should be.  It is a state where we are brought back into the original relationships that God intended.  It is the Garden of Eden but, because of Christ, even better.

We are kept in that state of perfect peace by keeping our mind “stayed” on the Lord.  We are committing our thoughts, our attitudes, our inclinations to the Lord.  We are trusting in Him to be that solid rock who guarantees our future.  We can put all our weight on Him because he is strong enough to support it. 

Commit to praying the following prayers for your sons or grandsons today.

Peace

Let __________turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it (1 Peter 3:11).

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give __________peace at all times in every way (2 Thessalonians 3:16).

Peace God leaves with__________; His peace He gives to__________. Not as the world gives does God give. Let not __________'s heart be troubled, neither let him be afraid (John 14:27).

May __________ be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage others. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with him (2 Corinthians 13:11).

May __________sow a harvest of righteousness by making peace (James 3:18).

And let the peace of Christ rule in __________'s heart, to which indeed he was called in one body. And be thankful (Colossians 3:15).

May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to__________(Jude 1:2).

May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard __________'s heart and mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).

May __________be justified by faith, and have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify __________completely, and may his whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

Warrior Prayers...Day Eleven

Prayers for Day Eleven

The past year has been hard and sad for me.  I have intensely felt the pain of living in a fallen world.  This is nothing new; after all, we live in a world whose prince is one of darkness.  However, when that threatens to rob us of our joy, we need to turn to Scripture.  Psalm 119:111 reminds us that:  “Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.”

Go to the Word to reignite your joy.  The psalmist writes, “in your presence there is fullness of joy”.  Nehemiah reminded the people that “the joy of the Lord is your strength.”  On the night of Jesus’ birth, the angels told the shepherds, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy”. 

Thanks be to God that “joy comes in the morning”!  Not only each morning when God gives us a new day with opportunities to glorify Him, but also that great morning when we open our eyes in the presence of Jesus….joy unspeakable.

Commit to praying the following prayers for your sons or grandsons today.

Joy

May the joy of the Lord be __________'s strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

May __________be filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22).

May __________go out in joy and be led forth in peace (Isaiah 55:12)

May the God of hope fill __________with all joy and peace as he trusts in him, so that he may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).

May __________ go to the altar of God, to God, his joy and his delight (Psalm 43:4).

May __________count it all joy when he meets trials of various kinds, as the testing of his faith produces steadfastness. May he let steadfastness have its full effect, that he may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:1-4).

May __________know that while weeping may tarry for the night, joy comes with the morning (Psalm 30:5).

May __________be imitators of us and of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 1:6).

May the God of hope fill __________with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit he may abound in hope (Romans 15:13).

May __________know that the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).