Recently, our middle daughter, Haley, was scrapbooking with friends. The conversation between these young moms turned to praying for your children. One wise young woman, Erika, shared a prayer model that I thought you would enjoy putting into practice. Erika prays "5 P's" for her children:
Purpose - Romans 8:28-29, that God will conform him to the image of Christ through every situation.
Passion - Psalm 37:5-6; 42:1, that she will follow hard after Christ, in every area of life.
Protection - Psalm 27:1; 43:3, that God will protect him in His light and truth.
Purity - Psalm 24:3-6, that she will maintain clean hands and pure heart toward God.
Pals - Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, that he will choose wisely for the company he keeps, always including Christ in every friendship.
You probably will think of other passages appropriate to these 5 P's; ask the Lord to lead you to specifics for your own grandchildren. Use them...repeat God's Word back to Him on behalf of the ones you love -- it's
a sure-fire way of knowing that we're praying God's Will, when we pray back His Word.
Be Strong. Be Prepared.
In Ephesians 6:10-18, the Apostle Paul encourages the people in this church to "arm themselves" for battle. He describes in detail the gear they must symbolically wear in the inevitable struggle against the schemes of the devil.
Have you ever envisioned your granddaughter or grandson in a struggle with Satan? Take a minute to consider what that might look like...it is serious,and it is real. Satan is vying for the lives of our children. He relentlessly pursues their hearts with the most subtle methods. Our prayer for them MUST be that they will recognize evil when they see it; that they will be alert to the "evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12 NLT)
I don't like to give the devil more credit than he is due - I'm not one who believes that when my car won't start, it must be an evil spirit. However, I do know that Satan is alive and well - he's a deceiver, a liar, and he comes to kill and destroy anyone who is precious in God's sight. So we cannot ignore that he is a force to be reckoned with; he is stronger than your precious girl or boy. However, the good news is: "Greater is He Who is in you than he who is in the world"!!! Our God is a consuming fire, and NOTHING can separate us from His love (Romans 8:31-39).
So, as we pray for our children this week, let's begin by acknowledging the All-Powerful, Almighty God we serve.
Next, let's teach and train our children (our grandchildren's parents) and our grandchildren to be alert, to recognize the lies of Satan, and to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Let's pray like Paul prayed: for our children and grandchildren to "be strong with the Lord's mighty power" (Ephesians 6:10)
"...the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." (1John 4:4)
Pray that your child will desire to have the strong Spirit of the One True God ingrained within his or her heart.
Have you ever envisioned your granddaughter or grandson in a struggle with Satan? Take a minute to consider what that might look like...it is serious,and it is real. Satan is vying for the lives of our children. He relentlessly pursues their hearts with the most subtle methods. Our prayer for them MUST be that they will recognize evil when they see it; that they will be alert to the "evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12 NLT)
I don't like to give the devil more credit than he is due - I'm not one who believes that when my car won't start, it must be an evil spirit. However, I do know that Satan is alive and well - he's a deceiver, a liar, and he comes to kill and destroy anyone who is precious in God's sight. So we cannot ignore that he is a force to be reckoned with; he is stronger than your precious girl or boy. However, the good news is: "Greater is He Who is in you than he who is in the world"!!! Our God is a consuming fire, and NOTHING can separate us from His love (Romans 8:31-39).
So, as we pray for our children this week, let's begin by acknowledging the All-Powerful, Almighty God we serve.
Next, let's teach and train our children (our grandchildren's parents) and our grandchildren to be alert, to recognize the lies of Satan, and to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Let's pray like Paul prayed: for our children and grandchildren to "be strong with the Lord's mighty power" (Ephesians 6:10)
"...the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." (1John 4:4)
Pray that your child will desire to have the strong Spirit of the One True God ingrained within his or her heart.
Time Out!
I remember playing with my cousins at my grandmother's house. We would play"chase", and to start the game, someone would yell, "Not it". The lastperson to say "Not It" became "It", and the game began...running, dodging, chasing, screaming, laughing...invariably, someone's shoe would come untied,and you'd hear the words, "Time Out!" Immediately, the action stops. Everyone freezes until the caller yells, "Time in!", and the game goes on until most everyone is completely spent of energy. Fun times - you remember, don't you :)
Today, "Time out" usually carries a different connotation. It usually refersto separation due to an inappropriate action; it's the "discipline of choice" for many of today's young parents. Employed correctly, it can be extremely effective. Child behavior specialists recommend 1 minute of timeout for each year of the age of the child (i.e. 3 years old = 3 minutes intime out). Of course, an adolescent's Time Out looks different. Time Out from some privilege or activity; Time Out from a person, etc. The concept is the same in discipline of our grandchildren as it was when we played Chase: "Something's wrong here! Stop everything and let's fix it!"
One of the greatest privileges we enjoy as grandparents is the wisdom wehave acquired based on our life experience. We can recognize when there is a"problem". The problem is: we all have a problem - the problem of owning a sinful nature. Our familiarity with God's Holy Spirit breeds recognition of sin in others - particularly in those children we so love. When God's Spirit quickens your spirit, showing the reality of sin, I challenge you to listen and take Christ-like, age-appropriate action with that child.
God has made it clear in His Word that SIN SEPARATES (See Psalm 66:18, for one reference). The Time Out Principle is very scriptural. We see God putting people in Time Out continuously when they chose to follow their own sinful natures, rather than follow His ways. Think about Israel as a nation, 40 years of Time Out in the wilderness before they were allowed into the Promised Land. Read Psalm 51, written by King David after his Time Out following the adultery with Bathsheba.
When you recognize the sin in your child's heart, one of the most loving things you can do is to explain in a way that is age-appropriate to him orher, "(name the offense) is one of the things that God calls sin. When we choose to sin, we choose to separate from our friendship with God." This explanation will give the child - or teenager - a "God-consciousness" and an understanding of the separation principle of sin. Until she recognizes hersinful nature, she will never recognize her need for a Savior.
Ask God to break your heart for the things that break the heart of God --sin breaks His heart. Call sin what it really is: SIN SEPARATES.
THIS WEEK:
Pray specifically that God will show your child the reality of his sinful nature.
Pray for your own heart, asking God to immediately convict you of unconfessed sin in your own life.
EXTRA EXERCISE-
Read Psalm 51. List everything you learn in regard to God'sreaction to our recognition of sin.
1 John 1:9 - Praise Him for His faithful promise of forgiveness. God never overlooks our sin. His discipline is security in His love (Hebrews 12;6)
Today, "Time out" usually carries a different connotation. It usually refersto separation due to an inappropriate action; it's the "discipline of choice" for many of today's young parents. Employed correctly, it can be extremely effective. Child behavior specialists recommend 1 minute of timeout for each year of the age of the child (i.e. 3 years old = 3 minutes intime out). Of course, an adolescent's Time Out looks different. Time Out from some privilege or activity; Time Out from a person, etc. The concept is the same in discipline of our grandchildren as it was when we played Chase: "Something's wrong here! Stop everything and let's fix it!"
One of the greatest privileges we enjoy as grandparents is the wisdom wehave acquired based on our life experience. We can recognize when there is a"problem". The problem is: we all have a problem - the problem of owning a sinful nature. Our familiarity with God's Holy Spirit breeds recognition of sin in others - particularly in those children we so love. When God's Spirit quickens your spirit, showing the reality of sin, I challenge you to listen and take Christ-like, age-appropriate action with that child.
God has made it clear in His Word that SIN SEPARATES (See Psalm 66:18, for one reference). The Time Out Principle is very scriptural. We see God putting people in Time Out continuously when they chose to follow their own sinful natures, rather than follow His ways. Think about Israel as a nation, 40 years of Time Out in the wilderness before they were allowed into the Promised Land. Read Psalm 51, written by King David after his Time Out following the adultery with Bathsheba.
When you recognize the sin in your child's heart, one of the most loving things you can do is to explain in a way that is age-appropriate to him orher, "(name the offense) is one of the things that God calls sin. When we choose to sin, we choose to separate from our friendship with God." This explanation will give the child - or teenager - a "God-consciousness" and an understanding of the separation principle of sin. Until she recognizes hersinful nature, she will never recognize her need for a Savior.
Ask God to break your heart for the things that break the heart of God --sin breaks His heart. Call sin what it really is: SIN SEPARATES.
THIS WEEK:
Pray specifically that God will show your child the reality of his sinful nature.
Pray for your own heart, asking God to immediately convict you of unconfessed sin in your own life.
EXTRA EXERCISE-
Read Psalm 51. List everything you learn in regard to God'sreaction to our recognition of sin.
1 John 1:9 - Praise Him for His faithful promise of forgiveness. God never overlooks our sin. His discipline is security in His love (Hebrews 12;6)
Discipline
Discipline - in the words of Dr. Phil, "How's that workin' out for ya?" My grandchildren are very sweet, and have been effectively trained in appropriate behavior; however, they are normal human beings (albeit gifted and talented - as I'm sure yours are too :). Therefore, when things don't go their way, they usually have a reaction - and it's not always appropriate. Or, their natural self-focused nature shines through and is reflected in their behavior or attitudes.
We have a choice whether to allow them to continue that attitude of selfishness, or teach them God's attitudes. This is discipleship, and it requires discipline. What demonstrates greater love - leaving her to herself, or training toward God's mindset? You know the answer: left to ourselves, we will self-destruct; lining our minds up with the mind of Christ leads to life.
Hebrews 12:11 addresses this principle. "Discipline is not joyful at the time but sorrowful. However, after having been trained by it, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness."
Father, You are my heavenly parent. Discipline me when I have not lined up my mind with the mind of Christ, and teach me how to discipline myself. Help me to immediately recognize sin in my own heart. Then show me how to administer discipline to ______________ (your grandchild) in Your way - the way that will line up his mind with the mind of Christ.
Additional reading: 1 Corinthians 2:9-16; Hebrews 12
We have a choice whether to allow them to continue that attitude of selfishness, or teach them God's attitudes. This is discipleship, and it requires discipline. What demonstrates greater love - leaving her to herself, or training toward God's mindset? You know the answer: left to ourselves, we will self-destruct; lining our minds up with the mind of Christ leads to life.
Hebrews 12:11 addresses this principle. "Discipline is not joyful at the time but sorrowful. However, after having been trained by it, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness."
Father, You are my heavenly parent. Discipline me when I have not lined up my mind with the mind of Christ, and teach me how to discipline myself. Help me to immediately recognize sin in my own heart. Then show me how to administer discipline to ______________ (your grandchild) in Your way - the way that will line up his mind with the mind of Christ.
Additional reading: 1 Corinthians 2:9-16; Hebrews 12
The Inside Look
You've experienced it before: your 3-year-old grand-girl bounces into your house wearing the cutest leopard top over solid leggings, topped off with a precious bow in her hair; or that strapping boy bounds through the door grinning ear-to-ear in his jeans, jersey, and his baseball cap on backwards -- I don't care who you are: that's cute!!!
3 minutes later things aren't going his way and he's fallen on the floor yelling at the top of his lungs to make it change; she can't find the doll she wants, so she's screaming for immediate assistance until that doll appears...they're not quite so cute any more.
No matter how one looks on the outside, if all's not right on the inside,it's not pretty! You can tell by now that we're considering the heart again. The Biblical story of Samuel anointing David as the next king of Israel illustrates the fact that God cares more about our inner appearance than our outer appearance. "...God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)
Father, in Psalm 34:22, You promise to redeem the soul of Your servant. Iask you to teach __________ his/her need for You to be the Controller of his/her heart. Create in _______________ a clean heart, O God (Psalm 51:10). Stir his/her heart to love You with all his/her soul, strength, and mind(Matthew 22:37). And Father, teach _________'s parents to recognize any motivation in his/her heart that does not reflect the mind of Christ. Teach us to combine spiritual thoughts with spiritual words, as we lead __________in Your way of right thinking (1 Corinthians 2:12-13).We pray this in the strong name of Jesus!
And for you, the Grandmother or the Grandfather: are you in the habit of basing your actions on the emotion of the moment, or on what you know to be true? ...just a thought :)
3 minutes later things aren't going his way and he's fallen on the floor yelling at the top of his lungs to make it change; she can't find the doll she wants, so she's screaming for immediate assistance until that doll appears...they're not quite so cute any more.
No matter how one looks on the outside, if all's not right on the inside,it's not pretty! You can tell by now that we're considering the heart again. The Biblical story of Samuel anointing David as the next king of Israel illustrates the fact that God cares more about our inner appearance than our outer appearance. "...God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)
Father, in Psalm 34:22, You promise to redeem the soul of Your servant. Iask you to teach __________ his/her need for You to be the Controller of his/her heart. Create in _______________ a clean heart, O God (Psalm 51:10). Stir his/her heart to love You with all his/her soul, strength, and mind(Matthew 22:37). And Father, teach _________'s parents to recognize any motivation in his/her heart that does not reflect the mind of Christ. Teach us to combine spiritual thoughts with spiritual words, as we lead __________in Your way of right thinking (1 Corinthians 2:12-13).We pray this in the strong name of Jesus!
And for you, the Grandmother or the Grandfather: are you in the habit of basing your actions on the emotion of the moment, or on what you know to be true? ...just a thought :)
Hearts
"Bless your heart" - we say it quite often, and we mean it in the kindest way.
This week, let's focus on the precious hearts of our grandchildren, taken from Solomon's book of Proverbs.
"...written down so we'll know how to live well and right,to understand what life means and where it's going; A manual for living, for learning what's right and just and fair; To teach the inexperienced the ropes and give our young people a grasp on reality." (The Message - Pro. 1:2-4)
A father's wise advice is stated in Proverbs 4:23, "Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts." (The Message) or, put another way,"Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do." (NewLiving Translation)
Take the time to read this verse in several translations of the Bible. If you don't have several in print, you can go online to www.bible.org or www.OTGateway.com, or your favorite Bible study website. It's the beautyof living in 2007 - we have a world of information at the tips of our fingers...and so do our young people.
With that in mind, the urgency to "guard our hearts" is even greater, since we know that our hearts are affected by our environments.
This week, pray something like this:
"Father, You are the ultimate, Forever, and All-Loving Father. By your power, guard _________'s heart from every evil that surrounds him/her. Teach_________ the importance of following hard after You; teach her/him how to guard her/his own heart when unhappy, or angry, or disappointed...in every situation. Show us how to lead ____________ to turn his/her thoughts to You, forming the mind of Christ in her/his own heart."
And while you're praying for those children -- take a look at yourself: your thoughts, your attitudes, which lead to action. Have you diligently posted a guard over your own heart? We know from experience that "more is caught than taught". Let's commit to be CONTAGIOUS in following hard after Him.
This week, let's focus on the precious hearts of our grandchildren, taken from Solomon's book of Proverbs.
"...written down so we'll know how to live well and right,to understand what life means and where it's going; A manual for living, for learning what's right and just and fair; To teach the inexperienced the ropes and give our young people a grasp on reality." (The Message - Pro. 1:2-4)
A father's wise advice is stated in Proverbs 4:23, "Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts." (The Message) or, put another way,"Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do." (NewLiving Translation)
Take the time to read this verse in several translations of the Bible. If you don't have several in print, you can go online to www.bible.org or www.OTGateway.com, or your favorite Bible study website. It's the beautyof living in 2007 - we have a world of information at the tips of our fingers...and so do our young people.
With that in mind, the urgency to "guard our hearts" is even greater, since we know that our hearts are affected by our environments.
This week, pray something like this:
"Father, You are the ultimate, Forever, and All-Loving Father. By your power, guard _________'s heart from every evil that surrounds him/her. Teach_________ the importance of following hard after You; teach her/him how to guard her/his own heart when unhappy, or angry, or disappointed...in every situation. Show us how to lead ____________ to turn his/her thoughts to You, forming the mind of Christ in her/his own heart."
And while you're praying for those children -- take a look at yourself: your thoughts, your attitudes, which lead to action. Have you diligently posted a guard over your own heart? We know from experience that "more is caught than taught". Let's commit to be CONTAGIOUS in following hard after Him.
Hearts & Hands
Those precious little ones -- they tug at my heart every time I think of them! I have found emotions I never knew I had, since the first one was born 5 years ago...and every one following has affected me continually. You know that joy: the mere thought of him brings a smile to your face; your heart swells as you see her in your mind's eye. I remember beginning to feel that with my own children years ago. But the intensity is great with these grandchildren...who can explain that???
There is great "joy in the journey" of life while that child is innocent. On the contrary, when he or she begins to allow her true self to show - that natural self-centeredness - it brings a twinge of pain to my heart. I see the natural bent to self and I am reminded how quickly we walk to the path of destruction. I want to lift my hands, hold her face, look into her eyesand say, "Sweetheart, follow the path to a right heart. Stay off the path that follows your natural self!"
In the Bible, Lamentations is a book of wailings that were written as a reminder of the fall of Jerusalem and the unavoidable tragedy caused by always wanting to "get your own way". The people are desperate, but not hopeless. Lamentations is a reminder of a God Who judges out of a heart of pure love, a God Who keeps His covenant to love forever.
Lamentations 2:19 "...Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord; lift up your hands to Him for the lives of your little ones..."In your everyday life this week, every time you pour yourself a drink from a pitcher or you fill your glass from the door of the refrigerator, or run water in the tub, visualize pouring out your heart to God on behalf of your GrandBoy or your GrandGirl. When you lift up your hands to take a glass out of the cabinet, let that be a symbol of opening your hands in trust that He will be real in the heart of that little one. Ask Him to show immediately when ________ (insert your child's name) is putting her foot to the path ofself-centeredness. Ask Him to teach _________ to follow God's ways and not his/her own.
Finally, here another challenge for you personally: Lamentations 3:40-41"Let us examine and probe our ways, and let us return to the Lord. We lift up our heart and hands toward God in heaven..."
I pray that you will continually allow God to test your heart and your hands in every area of your life - every thought and every action.
There is great "joy in the journey" of life while that child is innocent. On the contrary, when he or she begins to allow her true self to show - that natural self-centeredness - it brings a twinge of pain to my heart. I see the natural bent to self and I am reminded how quickly we walk to the path of destruction. I want to lift my hands, hold her face, look into her eyesand say, "Sweetheart, follow the path to a right heart. Stay off the path that follows your natural self!"
In the Bible, Lamentations is a book of wailings that were written as a reminder of the fall of Jerusalem and the unavoidable tragedy caused by always wanting to "get your own way". The people are desperate, but not hopeless. Lamentations is a reminder of a God Who judges out of a heart of pure love, a God Who keeps His covenant to love forever.
Lamentations 2:19 "...Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord; lift up your hands to Him for the lives of your little ones..."In your everyday life this week, every time you pour yourself a drink from a pitcher or you fill your glass from the door of the refrigerator, or run water in the tub, visualize pouring out your heart to God on behalf of your GrandBoy or your GrandGirl. When you lift up your hands to take a glass out of the cabinet, let that be a symbol of opening your hands in trust that He will be real in the heart of that little one. Ask Him to show immediately when ________ (insert your child's name) is putting her foot to the path ofself-centeredness. Ask Him to teach _________ to follow God's ways and not his/her own.
Finally, here another challenge for you personally: Lamentations 3:40-41"Let us examine and probe our ways, and let us return to the Lord. We lift up our heart and hands toward God in heaven..."
I pray that you will continually allow God to test your heart and your hands in every area of your life - every thought and every action.
Fight!
"grand" (according to Webster) - most important; imposing in beauty andextent; marked by splendor and display; distinguished; illustrious; loftyand dignified, as in style; excellent; delightful.
Based on Webster's definition of "grand", to be someone's "Grand"Mother or "Grand"Father is certainly a position of high esteem. I feel special justreading those descriptive words! We will all agree that this role in lifemay be the most fun role yet -- for sure, it's indescribable until you experience it!
Some wise person once stated, "With every privilege comes a responsibility". As fun as grandparenting is, this responsibility is not one we can afford to slough off. Yet, I will turn that quote around, and say that this responsibility comes to us with a privilege: it is our privilege to "come boldly before the throne of grace" on behalf of our precious gifts fromGod - our grandchildren.
Each week we will focus on one specific passage that we will pray back to God for our grandchildren. I am confident that heaven will rejoice as the"fragrant aroma" of our prayers floats upward to God. When we pray His Word back to Him, we can be confident we are praying His Will. So, this first week, let's start with a poignant verse from the Old Testament, Nehemiah 4:14, "...Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your friends, your families, and your homes!" [New Living Translation]
So this, week, fight that spiritual battle for your grandchildren who are not even aware that there's a war going on for their hearts. Fight for that little girl of yours whose heart is tender and innocent about life; ask God to protect her heart as she "grows in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). Fight for your little boy whose heart is courageous and brave; ask God to teach him to "trust in the Lord with all his heart"...in all his ways to acknowledge Him, trusting God todirect his paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Fight that battle for your young children. Put on the full armor of God and take your stand against the devil's schemes. Stand firm against the one who is vying for your children's hearts! Be alert, and always keep on praying -it's our greatest privilege! (Ephesians 6:10-13, 18-19)
Based on Webster's definition of "grand", to be someone's "Grand"Mother or "Grand"Father is certainly a position of high esteem. I feel special justreading those descriptive words! We will all agree that this role in lifemay be the most fun role yet -- for sure, it's indescribable until you experience it!
Some wise person once stated, "With every privilege comes a responsibility". As fun as grandparenting is, this responsibility is not one we can afford to slough off. Yet, I will turn that quote around, and say that this responsibility comes to us with a privilege: it is our privilege to "come boldly before the throne of grace" on behalf of our precious gifts fromGod - our grandchildren.
Each week we will focus on one specific passage that we will pray back to God for our grandchildren. I am confident that heaven will rejoice as the"fragrant aroma" of our prayers floats upward to God. When we pray His Word back to Him, we can be confident we are praying His Will. So, this first week, let's start with a poignant verse from the Old Testament, Nehemiah 4:14, "...Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your friends, your families, and your homes!" [New Living Translation]
So this, week, fight that spiritual battle for your grandchildren who are not even aware that there's a war going on for their hearts. Fight for that little girl of yours whose heart is tender and innocent about life; ask God to protect her heart as she "grows in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). Fight for your little boy whose heart is courageous and brave; ask God to teach him to "trust in the Lord with all his heart"...in all his ways to acknowledge Him, trusting God todirect his paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Fight that battle for your young children. Put on the full armor of God and take your stand against the devil's schemes. Stand firm against the one who is vying for your children's hearts! Be alert, and always keep on praying -it's our greatest privilege! (Ephesians 6:10-13, 18-19)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)