Disengaged, Indifferent, and Turning Away

“Only 11% of Gen Z are considered “Scripture Engaged,”” according to the American Bible Society (1). That means, 89% of Gen Z are uninvolved, having no commitment to fellowship in church or spending time in the Word.  89%.  That’s a significant number. As a parent, that should at best, make us pause, and at worst, drive us to our knees in prayer. 

There used to be a time when most people seemed to have regard for God and respect for Scripture, even if they were not “church-going” people.  Parents often recognized the importance of instilling values in their children and were not opposed to them attending Sunday School or VBS, even if they did not attend themselves.  How far we’ve moved from that standard.  It’s not the norm any longer and those who embrace that are often labeled as ‘antiquated’, or worse.

“Our youngest adults—those in Generation Z—have more fears, greater anxiety, lower self-esteem, and less affirmation from peers than any older generation.”

The result is that, according to John F. Plake, the CIO of the American Bible Society, “Our youngest adults—those in Generation Z—have more fears, greater anxiety, lower self-esteem, and less affirmation from peers than any older generation.” (1) We can see it, can’t we? Even our own sons and daughters are struggling, though they may not readily admit it.

The further we distance ourselves from God and Scripture, the greater the anxieties and fears that plague us and we experience more unrest, both mental and emotional.  We’ve shifted from God’s truth to our own truth, that which no one can contradict because it’s subjective and personal.  Yet, individual truth leaves a gap of morality and safety.  No one knows what the rules are and the expectations continually change.  So we’re left with an ‘every man for himself’ approach that leaves people craving affirmation from others rather than God, seeking tangible things to fill the spiritual hunger, and running after idols that look like relationships, titles, possessions, and experiences.

We have the most powerful weapon in our arsenal: prayer.  

So what can we do?  Where do we turn?  As parents, we no longer have the opportunity to wake them up on a Sunday and get them ready for church.  We can’t cart them off to AWANA and then review their memory verses with them for the following week.  There is no adult VBS where they can meet with their friends, play games and learn God’s word in a fun summer program.  No, our options are limited, but we have the most powerful weapon in our arsenal: prayer.  

“The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” James 5:16b-20

There is incredible, spirit-moving, kingdom-building power in prayer!  We have access to the Throne of the Almighty, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  He is our Father, our Savior, our Friend and He listens intently to the prayer of our heart.  We can pray with confidence. Satan doesn’t stand a chance because Christ has already won!

“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” Colossians 2:15

Ephesians 6:10-12 tells us, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

So let’s agree to pray together for this generation of young adults who so desperately need to turn to the Savior and rest in Him.  Let’s pray that they will hunger and thirst after righteousness and crave time in His Word - God’s Word is transformational!  Pray they will sense the stirring of the Holy Spirit and turn to embrace Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  

This week we’re doing something a little different by having scripture and prayer for every day of the week. Let’s bathe our sons and daughters in prayer using God’s Word and ask Him to move and work in their hearts and draw them into active, vibrant fellowship with Him.  Each Scripture is focused on the phrase “Your Word” and the message is powerful!

Sunday

“Oh Lord, my heart is heavy.  This generation of young adults is drifting away from You and many don’t even know You.  Almighty God, Lord of all, I bring (name) before You today and ask that You would draw them into right fellowship with You.  Give them a hunger and thirst for Your Word.  Even today, Lord, open their eyes to see their Bible and urge them to pick it up and begin reading.  I know I can’t motivate this, but You can.  Change what their heart craves because I know that only by living according to Your Word, (name) will keep their way pure (Psalm 119:11). I pray that (name) would delight in Your decrees and would not neglect Your Word (Psalm 119:16)  I pray that Your Word would be a lamp to their feet and a light to their path (Psalm 119:105)  Jesus, I pray that You would be what they crave and they would fall in love with You in ways that words can’t describe. Draw them to You. It is in Your name I pray, amen.”

Monday

“Sovereign Lord, there is so much in this world that would pull us away from You.  I bring (name) before You today and ask You to work in their heart and mind.   I pray that You would Turn (names) eyes away from worthless things; preserve [their] life according to Your Word. (Psalm 119:37) There are so many influences and temptations that have potential to ensnare (name) in sin and trap them in bondage to the brokenness of this world.  I pray that they would seek Your precepts so that they might walk about in freedom.(Psalm 119:45). Only You can change their desires and motivate change.  I ask that You would protect them, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

Tuesday

Oh Lord, “My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to Your Word.(Psalm 119:28).  Help me to trust in Your mighty protection over (name).  I pray that they would engage with You today in prayer, in praise, in worship, and in Your Word.  Strengthen them through Scripture and let those words sink deeply and effect change so (name) “can answer anyone who taunts [them], for (name) trusts in Your Word (Psalm 119:42).  Bring a change of heart, of attitude, and of direction in (name)’s life, even today.  I know You can do it, Lord, I pray that You would, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

Wednesday

Father God, I pray that today You would “direct (name)’s footsteps according to Your Word; let no sin rule over [them] (Psalm 119:133).  But to live according to Your Word, they have to know Your Word and to know it, they have to spend time there.  Stir a desire to read their Bible, to listen to teaching, and to be involved in a church fellowship.  Today I ask that You would bring to mind the verses they memorized as a child, You promised that by hiding Your Word in our hearts, we would not sin against You (Psalm 119:11).  Protect (name) from sin.  Lord, do a work in (name)’s heart and mind today.  Change them.  Make them more like Christ.  In His name I pray, amen.

Thursday

Heavenly Father, “I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in Your Word” (Psalm 119:147).  You are the hope of eternal life and in Your words I find life.  You are the only hope for redemption in this dark and difficult world.  Open (name)’s eyes to love Your Precepts.  Give them a longing to spend time in prayer and fellowship with You so they can say, “See how I love your precepts; preserve my life, LORD, in accordance with your love” (Psalm 119:159). Help them, like Peter, to recognize there is no one else who holds that power, “Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). I know this world is hard, life pulls at us from all directions and I see the pressure on this generation and on (name) specifically.  They’re longing for peace and to find what satisfies them.  I ask that You would help (name) to “remember, LORD, your ancient laws, and I find comfort in them” (Psalm 119:52). Only You can quench their thirst and fill (name) with good things.  I pray that You would. Lord, please show me You’re working. I trust You.  In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.”

Friday

“Oh dear Savior, I know that (name) is weary, they’re struggling against all of the negative influences in this world…or caving in to the pressures of them. 
[Their] soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen [them] according to Your Word (Psalm 119:28).  Help them to turn to You and to Your Word for strength, encouragement, refreshment, and solace.  Lord, I know when they do that, they will be strengthened to “answer anyone who taunts [them], for[they] trust in Your Word (Psalm 119:42).  Show them they can trust You, Lord.  Show them You’re listening to their cries.  Be near to them, lean in and surround them with Your favor as with a shield (Psalm 5:12). May my [parent] cry come before you, LORD; give me understanding according to Your Word (Psalm 119:169) and do the same for (name) in Jesus’ name, amen.”

Saturday

“Lord, God, my prayer is that (name) would “reach out for your commands, which [they] love, that [they] may meditate on your decrees. (Psalm 119:48).  I pray that (name) would pray, “You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in Your Word” (Psalm 119:114).  May it be true that their hope is in Your Word.  And let it be that “those who fear You rejoice when they see (name), for (name) has put [their] hope in Your Word.(Psalm 119:74).  Lord, You have the power to change (name) and draw them into fellowship with You, yet You’ve also gifted them with the freedom to choose- oh how I pray they choose You, again and again.  Holy Spirit, give them a hunger and thirst for You and lead them to the living water that satisfies beyond anything this world can offer.  I pray all this in Jesus’ name, amen.”

God is not done working and He is able to do more than we could ever imagine.  Lean into Him and wait expectantly- He will do it!

Pray without ceasing.

1. New research shows Gen z is the least scripture engaged generation. American Bible Society. (2024, September 12). https://www.americanbible.org/news/press-releases/articles/new-research-shows-gen-z-is-the-least-scripture-engaged-generation/?utm_campaign=The+Culture+Translator&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9oBgy6dp8kdNK8QRJBh3oZb-mVzLanwWwMD6As3LcgvpHvIPyziv5UdV32gu4PWGBwjeXuKsZ9IrKViqHFrwyKB3QizA&_hsmi=332877897&utm_content=332877897&utm_source=hs_email

Are You Willing to Trust God?

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

Trust is hard.  It requires us to step out of our comfort zones, to relinquish control, to place our confidence in something or Someone other than us. 

Remember when our kids were little, and they were determined to do something themselves?  They were convinced they knew how, that they were strong enough, that they didn’t need help.  But the result was a big mess and frustration and tears because nothing turned out the way they expected or wanted.  They didn’t have the foresight, the strength, or the experience to really handle the task.

When it comes to our sons and daughters, we want to know they’re okay.  We want to be able to rest, with full assurance that they are making the right choices, befriending the right people, and living in a way that pleases the Lord.   Yet they’re out of our homes (most of them, anyway), living on their own and conducting their own affairs with (likely) little thought for us.  As a parent, that’s a hard change.  We invested so much into them, it’s difficult to let go and not be involved.  Oh, we talk, we visit, but we don’t do daily life with them anymore.  We’re not sitting down to dinner asking, “How was school today?”.  Life with adult children is different.  And for parents, it pulls us (sometimes kicking and screaming) into a whole new level of trusting God for their care and protection.

When they were little, we had a false sense of control over their well-being.  I think that is God’s grace to young parents.  But as our sons and daughters grow and become more independent and begin spending more and more time apart from us, our parental ability to have a hand on everything diminishes…and almost disappears.  If we’re honest, we like to be in control, and it is hard to relinquish that role.  We like having things go the way we planned or the way we imagine it will work out.  But then we get disappointed or upset, annoyed, or pouty when it does not.  (our children get it honestly, no?) Sometimes we even push back to others around us… perhaps even to our now adult children, trying to align everything with our ways and wishes once again.

It is then we realize our role as parents is changing, whether we like it or not.  If we try to maintain the status quo of their toddler or primary years, we upset the equilibrium of relationships and communication.  We can’t keep them little, and we can’t control their choices.  We have to let go and trust God.

It's time we ask ourselves some important questions:

• Do I love God more than I love (name of son or daughter)

• Am I willing to release my grip on (name) in order to allow God to work in their life?

• What if God takes (name) to the other side of the world?  Will I support and pray for them or will I resist God’s plan and fight for my own will?

• What if they experience grief or hardship- will I consume my thoughts with ‘me’ - what could I have done differently to prevent this? Or will I point them to Christ and encourage their faith and trust in His sovereignty?

• Am I living out an example of trusting God to my sons and daughters?

It’s tempting to be God’s GPS, telling Him where He’s going and guiding His turns for our lives.  We’re quick to yell out “Wrong Turn!” and tell God that’s not where He wants to take us.  But what if it is?  What if God asks you to give up something you love dearly (a job, a home, a ministry, a relationship) because He is leading you (or your son or daughter) to something else?

Our lives would be fairly dismal if we were left to design our own future because, we can all admit, we are so limited in our humanness.  We don’t have the power, the creativity, the sovereignty to design our own destiny, nor to protect and administrate our daily lives.  We are fallen, needy children.  Yet God loves us so very much He’s planned our life, long before we were ever born.  He’s orchestrated all of the locations, experiences, people, and lessons to align with His perfect will.  We all could share story after story of things that we would not have chosen for ourselves or our family but that God used to bring growth, blessing, and joy. He is a good Father and He cares for His children.

God asks us to trust Him.  That word, trust, is the same as the word believe, ‘pisteuo’ in Greek.  It means, “to have faith, to entrust (especially one's spiritual well-being to Christ): believe, commit.”  It goes further to mean, “to think to be true; to be persuaded of; to place confidence in.” (1)

So there is one more question that begs to be asked:

• Who are you trusting?

Are you trusting in yourself and your ability to orchestrate things?  Are you trusting in the strength of your family to ensure your sons and daughters will do what is right?  If you are, friend, you are on your way to a difficult and painful awakening.  “Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.”  2 John 1:9  Are you living like you’re abiding or like you don’t have God at all?

God asks us to trust Him because He knows what is best.  He knows the beginning from the end and with that in mind, He orchestrates our life with all of its twists and turns, gains and losses, and joys and hardships.  He has the end in mind- whereas we only see today.

And if we trust Him, He promises hope, joy and peace.  Hope overflowing by the power of the Holy Spirit will only be enjoyed when we abide in Christ.  So let’s give up our aspirations of being God’s gps.  Let’s let Him be in the driver’s seat while we sit back and trust that He’s more than capable of managing our life and that of our sons and daughters.  Trust.  It is what God asks us to do daily.  Will you trust Him today?

“Father, I confess I struggle with wanting to control things.  I let fear and anxiety take over and in my effort to control them, I try and control others.  Forgive me, Lord.  Speak to my heart tonight.   Help me to abide in You.  I pray that You would give me a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit so that my thoughts, desires, actions and word reflect Jesus and not my sinful, fallen nature.  Lord, I pray that my sons and daughters would see me trusting You so that my life would be an example of peace, joy, and overflowing hope that can only come from You.  Lord, work in (name)’s heart and life.  Help them to trust You, too.  Remind them that You are their good Father and You desire to prosper them, not harm them.  Give them strength to trust even when it doesn’t make sense to our limited human understanding.  I pray that You would be glorified and Christ be praised, in Jesus’ name, amen.

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still
And with all who will trust and obey

Trust and obey, for there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey (2)

Pray without ceasing.

1.      G4100 - pisteuō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4100/niv/mgnt/0-1/

2.     Sammis, J. H. (n.d.). Hymn: Trust and obey. =. https://hymnary.org/text/when_we_walk_with_the_lord

How Should We Pray?

“My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.”  Colossians 2:2-4

The way we pray matters. What we pray matters. The apostle Paul understood that and wrote encouragement to the Colossians so they would stay focused on what would protect and grow their faith.

When we pray for our sons and daughters, we pray for their health and well-being.  We pray for safety and provision.  But how often do we pray for their growth and discernment?  Do we pray for the protection of their mind and for a deepening of their knowledge and understanding?  Those are things we cannot see, but which have significant impact on the spiritual health of the believer.

Scripture tells us that the mind is the deceiver's biggest battleground.  If Satan can capture our thoughts, the rest will follow.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12

Satan hates that we have redemption and eternal life in Jesus Christ.  He hates our Savior.  He hates light.  He hates truth.  He wants to lure believers to dwell in darkness and in ignorance of Who Christ is, what He has done and in misunderstanding of truth.  Do you see how he twists things?  What is good is deemed evil and what is evil is celebrated (isaiah 5:20).

So how can we pray more effectively for our sons and daughters?  How can we begin to fight for their spiritual protection and growth? We can start by gaining a better understanding of Scripture and then praying those very words on their behalf.  Scripture is powerful and effective and it can accomplish more than our minds can comprehend. 

Let’s look at what Paul is praying for the Colossians.

• He prays they would be encouraged in heart:

  Paul knew the value of being in fellowship with other believers.  The Greek word for ‘encouraged’ is parakaleo and it means to come alongside another, to comfort, exhort, pray for another (1).  The Holy Spirit is called the ‘paraklete’ and is our supporter and comforter (John 14:26).  And so believers have that role for one another- to build each other up and provide encouragement.   Pray for fellowship with other believers.

• He instructs them that true encouragement must be united, or knit together in love- agape. 

  The term ‘knit together’ is the Greek word symbibazo and it means to “to join together, unite or knit together in affection”(2).  When we truly care for one another we want the best for each other.  It’s hard to find deep connections with someone for whom you don’t get along or with whom you have nothing in common.  But believers have faith in Christ in common- God has made us brothers and sisters in Christ!  We are family and we are driven together by the love of God.  That connection sustains and encourages us as we continue our walk of faith.  Pray for authentic love among believers.

• He longs for them to have full riches of complete understanding:

  It’s important that we pray that our sons and daughters have assurance that their faith in Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life and confidence that there is no other belief system, path, or alternate ‘wisdom’ that can bring redemption and eternal life.

  The Greek word plerophoria is the word used for understanding and it means “full assurance and the most certain confidence (3). Let’s pray that our sons and daughters have confidence in their understanding of Scripture and in their faith and conviction that Jesus is Lord.

• Paul stresses that the Colossians would know Christ- the Source of all wisdom and knowledge. 

  We don’t want our sons and daughters to just know about Christ, we want them to KNOW Him.  We want them to experience Him in their life.  We want them to pursue a personal relationship with Him so that they will comprehend the riches of wisdom and knowledge that are found in Him.  We don’t want them to just have knowledge.  Even Satan has knowledge, but he is doomed.  Even demons believe and shudder at the Truth of Jesus.  No, we want our sons and daughters to have true knowledge.  There is a difference in the original language.  Knowledge is the word gnosis and it means intelligence and understanding(4).  But true knowledge is the word epignosis and it means precise and correct knowledge(5).  It means one is believing and understanding what is proven to be true, correct, and in line with evidence.  It is knowledge that changes how someone lives.

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:9-11

• Finally, pray for protection against deception.

  Pray that our sons and daughters would have deep understanding and knowledge of Scripture and their faithful walk with Christ and fellowship with believers would guard them against deception.  There is much out there that sounds good but is founded in lies.  There are people who have knowledge of Scripture (gnosis) without the epignosis of faith in Jesus and the teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit.  The messaging that our sons and daughters are encountering daily would try to sway them to compromise their faith, lower their standards, be accepting of sin and open-minded to other ‘pathways’ to God.  In the last days the deception will be so strong that, if possible, even the elect would be deceived (Matthew 24:24). Friends, we are there. The presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives and a correct knowledge of Jesus is the protection they need.

The enemy wants our sons and daughters.  There is no question about that.  We need to pray that they would be strong in their faith, solid in their understanding of Scripture, and rooted in fellowship with other believers. We are in a war- be on guard and use the armor of God to fight against the enemy.

“Father, I pray for (name) today.  Build them up in their faith and knowledge of Jesus.  Sanctify them by Your truth- Your Word is Truth (John 17:17).  Lead them into a vibrant fellowship with other believers that is grounded in correct truth and solid teaching.  Lord, they NEED You, though they may not always recognize that.  I pray that You would open their eyes and hearts to the full riches of complete understanding.  Keep them from sin.  Guard them from compromise.  Help them to stand steadfast in their faith.  Guide them into Your truth and don’t let them walk away from it.  Lord, we are in dark days and at some point soon, we may all have to stand boldly in the face of persecution- give us strength and conviction, Lord.  Build up the family of believers so that we would encourage one another in love and faithfulness, In Jesus’s name I pray, amen.”

Pray without ceasing.

1. G3870 - parakaleō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3870/niv/mgnt/0-1/

2. G4822 - symbibazō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4822/niv/mgnt/0-1/

3. G4136 - plērophoria - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4136/niv/mgnt/0-1/

4. G1108 - gnōsis - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1108/kjv/tr/0-1/ 

5. G1922 - epignōsis - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1922/niv/mgnt/0-1/ 

Praying for Evidence

Just because someone says something is true, does not make it so.  Anyone can make a claim, but without evidence, it’s just that, a claim, the proof remains to be seen.  That’s where evidence comes in.  Evidence is what backs up a claim and proves it to be true. We see this in the process of a legal trial.  Any claim brought in court must be backed up by evidence or it’s dismissed for failure to prove its truth.  The judge looks for the burden of truth.

Here’s another way to look at it.  We may say that we believe in the power of exercise.  We can follow ‘all the influencers’.  We can save insta-videos and articles.  We can talk the talk, but if we don’t actually exercise, there is no evidence that it’s working a change in us.  When others watch us, they won’t see us out walking, lifting, running, or stretching.  Our claim in the life-changing power of exercise in our life and our belief that it works is just that, a claim.  There is no evidence if we don’t live it out.  Our words are unsupported. 

3 John 1:4 “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”

As parents, we feel the weight of wanting our sons and daughters to have a genuine walk with the Lord, fully surrendered and obedient to Him.  We want those whom we love and treasure to not just know about Jesus, but to have a life-changing relationship with Him.  And a life that is surrendered will be a life that produces evidence of Who they worship and follow, of Who they prioritize and desire to please.  We long to see evidence and know with assurance that the burden of proof is present and their eternity is secure.

Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given to you;”  

That word, ‘ask’, is the word ‘aiteo’ in Greek and it means to “ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require.” 1

We need to ask the Lord- beg, call for, crave, desire and require- that He would let the life of our loved one exhibit the fruit of a sincere and active relationship with Him.  If we’ve raised our sons and daughters in the knowledge of the Lord, teaching them Scriptural truth in the power and Presence of God, the saving grace and mercy of Jesus Christ, the effective advocacy and teaching of the Holy Spirit, they know.  They know.  They have the words to speak…But knowledge is not evidence of the working of Christ in their heart and mind.  Life-changing faith is manifested in everything we say AND do'; it is the evidence of the change and the proof that backs up the claim that we are changed and that we follow Christ.

James 2:14 “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?”

Deeds won’t save us.  By themselves, they are an empty effort to prove ourselves worthy. If we pursue and rely on good deeds, alone, we make ourselves our own god - trying to effect our salvation through our good works.  But deeds, supported by our faith in Christ, are evidence that our life is changed, that it’s surrendered to and guided by Someone greater than we. We’re not doing good deeds for our own benefit, but because we are compelled by the love of Christ toward others. We can’t not do what God compels us to…and we find joy in it!

Hebrews 11:17-19 “By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.”  

Abraham was willing to obey God in whatever God asked of him, because He knew God.  He trusted Him.  He believed that if God asked him to do it, there was reason for it and God would redeem it in ways only He could and for His glory. Abraham saw evidence of God’s goodness and faithfulness in his life that bolstered his faith and gave him confidence that God’s promises were not just a claim, but were true and faithful. And Abraham’s obedience wasn’t in word only.  His actions provided evidence for the faith he claimed.  His actions were the proclamation.  Abraham set an example for all of us in faith and obedience.

James 2:21-22  “Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.”

Today, let’s begin praying that the Lord would reveal evidence of the faith of our children.  Pray that their faith would truly be their own, not just what they’ve been taught and what they’ve heard.  Pray they would give of themselves to be the hands and feet of Jesus to others.  And pray that they would not just have head knowledge, but that their understanding of Scripture and their experience of God’s faithfulness in their life would transform their life and would be evident to those around them.  

“Heavenly Father, oh how I want to see evidence of (name)’s faith.  I ask, not because I’m deserving, Lord, but because I crave to see that (name) is authentically following after You.  I yearn to see genuine fruit showing others that they know You, not just because it is what we taught them, but because it is what they believe themselves.” 

“Strengthen (name) with deep conviction to be obedient to You when You ask them to do hard things. Increase their faith to trust You without wavering.  Open (name)’s eyes to see what You are doing, how you are protecting and providing, and how You are answering their prayers, even those unspoken. Father, I pray they would have the faith of Abraham, the love of God as David did, nurture in them the fervent heart of Hannah and the boldness of Abigail.  Lord, You provided so many examples of faith- may (name) be someone You would write about whose faith would be evidence through their actions, choices, and words and who would inspire others to follow Jesus in the midst of this dark world.  In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.”

Pray without ceasing.

1. G154 - aiteō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (esv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g154/esv/mgnt/0-1/

When the Weight of Your Thoughts Overwhelms You

We all know that feeling we get when things become too much.  Whether the grief is bubbling to the surface, and we can’t hold it in, or the weight of worry is burying us under layers of concern and we feel like we’re going to suffocate, we feel the weight.  When the dark thoughts creep in it’s hard to fight against the tide that seems to be too strong to turn.   The worry and anxiety do not just set the tone for our day, they can consume it.  So how do we fight it?  And how can we encourage those we love in helpful ways that will point them to Christ in the struggle to manage the overwhelm?

Psalm 94:19 gives us some guidance; check out these three translations:

“When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought me joy.” (NIV)

“In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul” (NKJV)

“When the cares of my heart are many, Your consolations cheer my soul.” (ESV)

Did you see it?  WE can’t change anything…but God CAN and He WILL!!

The word anxiety (cares) comes from the Hebrew the word “sarapin” and means “disquieting thoughts.” 1  We’ve all experienced those, haven’t we?

Whether it’s worry over our kids, concern over a situation that feels out of control, fear of the unknown or grief over recent news, our hearts can only withstand so much. When we’re overwhelmed, our minds spin and build upon what is already present. It marinates. It festers.  It distracts us from God and steals our peace. It’s not how God wants us to live.

When our thoughts battle against one another or against our peace of mind and heart, that is what Hebrew calls “sarapin”.  The word “sarapin” stems from the root word “səipa” which means “ambivalence, division, or divided opinion.”2  And when we give space to those anxious thoughts, they can begin to consume us and distract our mind and heart from focusing on and trusting in God.

But God has a remedy for the confusion and division.  Notice…GOD has the remedy.  As much as we might try, we don’t have the power to will ourselves to be comforted.  But God does!

His consolation or comfort is present and available to us.  The Hebrew word “tanhumot” means “compassion or solace.”3  and that word comes from the word “naham” which means “to take a deep breath and be comforted.”4  

Remember when our children would cry, sob with ragged breaths and sniff back the tears?  We would gather them in, sweep the hair out of their eyes and gently rub their back or arm.  Oftentimes we would gently tell them, “just breathe” and we could see them begin to settle and grow calm. Friends, that’s what our Heavenly Father tells us, too, “Just breathe.  Rest in My strength.  Lean into Me and find comfort and solace.  My comforts can delight and cheer your very soul.”  Why is it that we resist?  Why do we think we have to settle our hearts in our own strength?

If we invite Him to, God settles and smooths our thoughts and our heart so that our troubled minds can be calmed and rest.  He longs to give us joy, delight, and cheer!  And what better way to demonstrate to others that we have the joy of the Lord?!

Today, take time to pray and pour out your heart to the Lord.  Tell Him all the things that are weighing you down.  He can bear the load- nothing is too much for Him.  Be honest about your fears and your anger, your hurt and confusion.  Lean into Him and let Him comfort you.  He can and He will.

Then, take time to read the Psalms, maybe listen to some praise and worship music. Just sit and be still. God has abundant comfort for our needs, we only need sit at His feet and ask.

Pray without ceasing.

1.      H8312 - śarʿapîm - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h8312/kjv/wlc/0-1/

2.      H5587 - sᵊʿipâ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5587/kjv/wlc/0-1/

3.      H8575 - tanḥûmôṯ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h8575/kjv/wlc/0-1/

4.      H5162 - nāḥam - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5162/kjv/wlc/0-1/

Be Sure to Leave It Where They Can Find It

“I will sing of the LORD's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.”  Psalm 89:1

When we have something important we want to give our kids, we want to leave it where they can find it, especially if we’re not going to be there to point it out.  Whether it be a special note or gift, or maybe important paperwork in the event something happens, we don’t want it to be a mystery and we don’t want to make it difficult. If it’s important, we tell them exactly where the items are so they can easily access them, why would we not?

But do we do the same with our faith?  If our kids went looking, would they easily find it?  Would they be able to quickly point out where our hope is anchored?  Or would they have to hunt for it?  

There is nothing more important than sharing our faith with our sons and daughters, nothing.  If we would be called home to heaven, what would they find as they go through our belongings?  What would they write about how we lived?  What was so evident in our lives as the most important to us?  

Let’s be intentional  about sharing our love for the Lord and the evidence of His faithfulness in our lives.  Let’s shift the paradigm of our day, our life to testify of God’s goodness and presence that redeems us and transforms us.  Let’s be sure to leave behind a legacy of faith for our sons and daughters so that the most precious thing we pass to them is faith in Jesus Christ and hope for eternity.

“Father You are faithful.  All throughout my life You’ve been present and working, even when I could not see Your hand or when I was too distracted to make you a priority.  I pray that from today onward, I would live in such a way that my sons and daughters would know that my faith in Jesus is the most precious thing I could share with them.  I pray that they will see You in me.  Lord, let there be no question about what I value and prioritize.  Don’t allow me to be distracted by the busyness of this world, the charms of what it promises but cannot deliver, or the lie that my value lies in what I accomplish.  My value lies in who I am…and who I am is a child of the Most High God.  Lord, I want my sons and daughters to embrace You fully and pursue You daily.  Help me to model that to them.  Let them see me reading Your Word.  Let them be confident that I am praying for them daily and that they can share any burden, need or request and I will take it to the Throne and intercede for them.  Help me to memorize Your word so that it becomes part of my language and the Holy Spirit can stir and pour out what I’ve committed to head and heart so that others can be encouraged.  Lord, help me to leave my faith where my kids can easily find it and help them to treasure it as they most precious thing I could pass along to them.  I pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.”

My Dear Children…Continue in Him

“And now, dear children, continue in Him, so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.” 1 John 2:28

Ask any parent who loves the Lord what they truly want for their sons and daughters. Most would be quick to say they want nothing more than to know their children continue with God, walk faithfully, hold tightly, trust unwaveringly.

Persistence is a characteristic necessary for life, isn’t it?  If we don’t persist, we don’t learn, accomplish, grow, or survive.  There are so many sayings that tell us to keep going- it’s a theme across all generations and cultures.  Dory, in Finding Nemo, sang, “just keep swimming,” and people quickly picked up on the melody…and the positive message…to remind themselves to press on.   Country music croons to us to “keep on keeping on.”  Elisabeth Elliott, a Christian author and teacher, faced extraordinary circumstances when, as a young mother with a 10 month old baby, her husband was killed on the mission field.  In the days following, she would remind herself to “just do the next thing” because life was so difficult and she struggled to know how to manage it.  

Those who lived in Biblical times struggled to manage and persist, too.  Life was hard.  There was loss and grief; there were obstacles and opposition.  The Apostle John knew there was even more to come- the Christian life was not easy and persecution was very real.  He gently and lovingly wrote 1 John 2:28 to encourage the believers,  “And now, dear children, continue in Him, so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.”

Dear children, continue!  Don’t give up!  Persist!!  Press on!  It wasn’t a rallying cry for the sake of survival, but for the promised reward of standing before the Lord, confident and unashamed.  John redirected their focus from the circumstances to the Purpose and the goal.

When we pray that our sons or daughters ‘continue’ in the Lord, we might picture a steady walk in the right direction, not wavering or wandering.  But if we look at the word ‘continue’, ‘meno’ in Greek, it actually means, “to stay in a given place, state, relation or expectancy; to abide or remain” (1).  

If we’re serious about praying for our children to continue in the Lord, we need to pray for these aspects of ‘continuing’ specifically.

Our place:  When we hear someone say, “Know your place”, it’s often a reprimand to keep quiet, don’t presume you have a right to speak or interject.  But in Christ, we have a place that qualifies us to step into His presence, speak to Him freely, live with confidence, and face the future with hope.  We are children of the King!  We have home and a place at His table.  We’re not a visitor or a stranger, we’re family.  We’re brought into His protection, welcomed and adopted as His very own.  We have a place and we belong.

Psalm 23:5  “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”

Ephesians 2:6 says, “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,”

Our state:  As believers, our condition is confirmed.  We are no longer condemned!  The state of the believer is one that brings hope!  We are forgiven, redeemed, justified, sanctified, and accepted with the promise of eternity in His presence.  We are no longer slaves to sin and our sinful nature.

Romans 8:1-2, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”

Our relationship: Our relationship with and to the Lord is confirmed; we are His children and his heirs.  

Romans 8:15-17 “...rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.  And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”  The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.  Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.”

Our hope: We can live with eager expectation and hope because we are His heirs and He’s promised us a life in His presence.

Ephesians 1:18-19 “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.”

Revelations 21:3-4 “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them.  They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

When we pray for our children to continue in their faith, we’re not praying that they have the personal strength to keep walking…we’re praying they will remain in Christ, unmoved, not deceived, not led astray by false teachers or lured by temptation.  We also pray that they would have a fixed position that is anchored in Christ.  We pray they would understand God’s precepts and would live with conviction as a forgiven, redeemed, justified and sanctified child of God.  A child who holds fast to their position in Christ and to their inheritance as an heir of the promise.  We ask the Lord to help them live with hope, not looking to this world for satisfaction, joy and rescue, but to Christ alone.  He provides everything they need for this life and for eternity. Finally, we pray that they will stand unashamed at His coming because they truly understand who they are and Whose they are.

Today, let’s pray that our dear children will continue in Christ and all that it means to do so.  Colossians 1:9-12 is a great scripture passage to pray over our sons and daughters. Or take time to write out a specific prayer naming your child/children and praying over all of the aspects of what it means to continue in their walk with the Lord.  

Colossians 1:9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, 14 in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Pray without ceasing

1. G3306 - menō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3306/niv/mgnt/0-1/

Giving Right Gifts

Any parent knows, our kids are not shy about telling us what they’d like to receive when it comes to birthdays, Christmas, or special occasions.  When they were little, their ‘wants’ were often communicated by the toy catalog left conveniently on the table with items circled in sharpie on nearly every page.  As they grew, their lists transformed to notes on the fridge and texts to our phones.  Now they have apps that help them share their lists, and there’s the ever-convenient Amazon wish list is always handy.  They’re always keen to let us know exactly what they really want. 

And gift giving is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?  It’s fun to receive them, but as a parent, we know how much joy we have in giving them!  It’s so much fun to shop for someone we love and wrap up that special gift so that it’s beautifully presented. Then we wait in anticipation while the recipient eagerly opens the gift.  But sometimes….sometimes we shop with OUR wants in mind, we choose things that we think they will like…or that we want them to like.  Then, as the open their gift, we watch their eyes go from sparkling with anticipation to thinly veiled disappointment when they realize we didn’t follow the request.  We didn’t give them the gift they really wanted, the thing they specifically asked for.  We didn’t follow directions and the gift falls flat.

Don’t we do that with God, friends?  We tend to offer him what we think He would like, giving Him the things we want to give rather than what He’s really asked us to offer.  We make sacrifices according to our preferences, but we neglect to pay attention to what God asks of us.  Then, we wonder why His response toward us is not what we hoped.  We gave.  We sacrificed.  But we didn’t obey. Our gift wasn’t welcomed because it wasn’t what He asked us to give.

It’s important that our sons and daughters learn how to make right offerings and sacrifices to the Lord.  Because it’s not about what we think the Lord will like, it’s very specifically about what He asks of us.  

Genesis 4:2b-7  “Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.  In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord.  And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering,  but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?  If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

Abel brought the right sacrifices.  He did what the Lord commanded.  He offered the best of his flock and shed blood to atone for his sin.  Cain brought what he considered a good sacrifice, his best produce- the fruit of the land.  Yet, it wasn’t what God commanded.  It wasn’t acceptable.  It was a poor substitution and unworthy. We know that Cain went on to kill his brother out of jealousy and then lie to God about the whole thing. 

But we need to ask ourselves, how often do we bring to God what we consider our ‘best’ yet it isn’t what He asks for at all?  We give what we want to give Him rather than what He requires.

Do you see?  It wasn’t the quality of the fruit and produce Cain brought, it was his disobedience toward the Lord in not bringing what the Lord commanded.  What God warned him of was exactly what happened, “if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”  The sin of jealousy and murder took over. 

Later in Scripture, the same was repeated with King Saul when He didn’t obey God’s instructions to completely destroy the Amalekites.  

“The Lord anointed you king over Israel. And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have wiped them out.’ Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?”  “But I did obey the Lord,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king.  The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.” 1 Samuel 15:17b-21

Saul did what HE thought best.  And his actions impacted the nation of Israel and threatened their very survival.  You see, years later, in the book of Esther, Haman, an official in the court of King Xerxes, tried to kill all of the Jews.  He plotted to destroy them and wipe them from the earth.  And who was Haman?  He was a descendant of Agag (Esther 3:1), the very king Saul was told to kill and did not.  Had it not been for God’s intervention through Esther and Mordecai, Israel would have been destroyed.  Saul’s disobedience had serious repercussions.  And his sacrifices meant nothing when they came from a heart that followed its own desires and not the Lord’s.

Our actions have consequences.  We teach our sons and daughters that very lesson when they are children, that obedience is important.  But as they grow into adulthood and gain their independence, the ease and desire to do what they want comes easily. Obedience to God can become secondary. We need to pray fervently that our sons and daughters will remember and practice the importance of obedience to God.  We need to pray that they will understand what right sacrifices and offerings are that God requires and not lean on their own understanding for what is acceptable (Proverbs 3:5-6).  We need to pray that they don’t ‘outgrow’ obedience.

The prophet Samuel called Saul to account for his selfish disobedience:

1 Samuel 15:22-23a ““Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord?  To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.”

Ultimately, his disobedience led to Saul losing his role as King, and his life as well. God doesn’t want our attempts to win His forgiveness and approval after we do what we want.  He wants us to obey him first and always.  He desires our obedience.  Let’s not try and ‘guess’ what God might want from us, instead, let’s dig into His word and learn what He calls us to do.  

God promises blessings when we obey, and not just on us, but on our children and grandchildren:

Psalm 103:17-18 “But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.”

Isn’t that a gift worth giving?  Let’s commit to pursue obedience so that we can gift the Lord’s love and righteousness to our children’s children and leave a legacy of obedience and joy in following Jesus. Then, let’s pray that our sons and daughters do the same.

“Father, You call us to a life of obedience.  How silly of us to think that our limited, flawed, selfish hearts would know better than You what You desire from us.  Lord, when we veer off to our own ‘wish list’ of things we think You want from us, we selfishly pursue what our own hearts want rather than what You ask of us.  We know the heart is deceitful above all things.  Help us to do what is right because sin is crouching at the door, waiting for the opportunity to lure us away.  Give us an Abel heart- one that desires to sacrifice what You ask and to obey your commands.  Help us to pursue You with an undivided heart because double mindedness will certainly be our downfall.  May our obedience to You be the evidence to others of our faith and our hope.  “But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him:” 1 John 2:5  Lord, help us to set a right example for our sons and daughters and let them do the same for their children.  I pray that our family would have a Godly heritage that points others to Christ and brings honor and glory to Him.  In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.”

Pray without ceasing.

Passing through the Valley

“Blessed are those whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.  As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.  They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.”  Psalm 84:5-7

The Valley of Baka in Psalms is also known as the valley of weeping.  We can all likely look to a time when we experienced a difficult, dark time.  Maybe we encountered hardship and it seemed as if we were in a dark valley of grief or sorrow that weighed us down and seemed to last longer than we had strength to endure.   

It’s one thing to go through it personally, but ask any parent who has watched their son or daughter go through hard things and they’ll tell you, it’s not only difficult, it’s downright painful.  We want to fix it.  We want to bring it to a quick end.  We want to make everything okay and get things “back to normal”, yet, we’re powerless to do it.  

As parents, the valley experience of our children calls us to a deep and abiding faith in Jesus.  It calls us to trust Him more than we can see in front of us.  It calls us to rely on His strength and Sovereignty over our own power and ingenuity. It asks us to relinquish our parental ‘controls’ and trust in the One Who parents them best.  The valley is a tough place to be, that’s certain.  And, as parents, we can either be the voice of spiritual encouragement that points our son or daughter to Jesus, or a detractor that pulls their focus to their current situation and supports their despair.  

But Psalm 84 gives us a beautiful, powerful picture of the valley as a place of victory,  not defeat.  Yes, the Psalmist writes about being in the valley of weeping, but he says,  “Blessed are those whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.”  Blessed.  It’s the Hebrew word “eser” and it means “happiness, or how happy” (1).  Our sons and daughters can experience deep happiness and joy, in spite of the valley experience if they’re focused on Jesus!  They may be in the valley, but if they’re still pursuing Jesus, they are blessed!!  Their location and their situation do not determine their joy.  Jesus is joy!!  That’s a lesson we should all be reminded of daily.  

The second thing to remember is that the valley isn’t their destination, it’s just a part of the journey.  And the valley shouldn’t be the focus of their heart, the passage to Jesus should be their focus! The joy is generated and determined by the Source of their strength.  The One who walks every step of the way with them through the valley and the One in whose Presence they long to stand. The journey is one of reliance on Jesus and trust in His Presence and leading.

Not only will the valley bring blessings, but it can become a place of refreshing.  Imagine that!  A valley of weeping becomes a journey of refreshing?! “As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.”  The word “spring” in Hebrew is the word “mayan” and it means "fountain or source of satisfaction” (2).  Psalm 87:7 gives us another perspective on Who and what that fountain represents, “All my fountains are in You.”  In other words, all of my blessings and Source of joy, delight and pleasure are in You, Lord.  The valley doesn’t supply the source of satisfaction, the believer traveling the valley does through his full reliance on Christ and his delight in His presence.  So, if our sons and daughters are in the valley, they can make it a place bubbling with delight, joy and pleasure if they remain focused on and grounded in the Lord.  Blessings bubbling over, generatd by the Source of Life.

Then, there are the autumn rains.  To some that may seem odd, but in Israel, the hot dry summer gives way to autumn rain that softens the soil and makes it pliable, easily broken up for cultivation and planting.  It creates fertile ground- and isn’t that what God seeks to create in our hearts?  The autumn rains in the valley of weeping can soften hearts and make them ready to receive the Word and be fruitful.  The springs and fountains of delight, pleasure, and joy along with the refreshing, nourishing rains that soften the hardened ground make the trek through the valley a journey from strength to strength.  This word, strength, is “hayil” in Hebrew and it means “resources, ability, and might” (3).  Do you see?  God uses the valley to bring joy in Him- not generated by our circumstances.  He brings delight, not in the location, but in His Presence.  He brings growth because of the believer’s focus and reliance on Him, not on the situation or location.  He draws the traveler to Himself and in doing so, the situation and location become secondary.

Finally, the destination of walking through the valley is the anticipation of standing before God, in His presence.  Psalm 16:11 says, “You make known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your Presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.”  If our heart is set on pilgrimage to God’s presence and Jesus is our Guide and Companion, there is strength and joy in the journey because we know the valley isn’t the destination, nor does it hold what we’re seeking, and there is so much more that awaits us.  We will ALL stand before the Lord, whether we intend that as our destination or not.  It is determined beforehand for us.  

How will we pray for our sons and daughters in their faith journey?  Will we pray the valley is short and the weeping is minimal?  That’s likely and why wouldn’t we? God understands our parent-heart well.  But, maybe we should pray that the focus of our son or daughter is Jesus alone and that He would be their source of joy, delight and strength.  And maybe, just maybe, we should pray for autumn rains that soften the ground of their hearts so they can receive the Word of God and bear fruit.  Perhaps we should pray that their journey is not just a short one, but is one of moving from strength to strength until they appear before God in Zion and that ultimately, they would hear, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

Let’s pray that the valley is a place of blessing and growth and that if He wills, the Lord would allow us a window on all of it while we lift our sons and daughters in prayer.  There are features of the valley experience that can lead us and our sons and daughters to a stronger, more certain faith.  And yes, even deep joy. That’s how we can pray effectively and fervently for their journey.

Pray without ceasing.

1. H835 - 'ešer - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h835/kjv/wlc/0-1/

2. H4599 - maʿyān - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h4599/niv/wlc/0-1/

3. H2428 - ḥayil - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2428/niv/wlc/0-1/

Benefits of Believing: Lifetime Guarantees

“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6

 (blessings, assurances, guarantees)

We have a lot of things that follow us, don’t we?  Our reputations, mistakes, our regrets, even our shame all seem to attach themselves to us and we find them hard to shake off.  They follow us and seem to make themselves apparent at inopportune times, whether to others or just to ourselves as a grim and nagging reminder of all that we’re not.  

As parents, we would gladly unburden our sons and daughters from those things that would define them negatively and remind them of their failures and missteps.   It’s a form of bondage that the enemy uses to keep us from being effective, and it’s debilitating.

But God says differently.  He casts our sin aside because He paid the price for our sin with His blood and redeemed us at the cross.  Psalm 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”  

Our sin doesn’t define  us any more.  We are made new, the old is gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come; The old has gone, the new is here!”

When we become children of God, sons and daughters of the Most High, different things follow us.  God ensures that all the days of our life we are hemmed in behind and before with His goodness and merciful love. Psalm 139:5 “You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.”  He reminds us that we are His protected child, Psalm 91:14-16 ““Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.  With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

God guarantees us this protection for ALL the days of our life, not some, not most, but all!!  

As parents, don’t we long for a lifetime assurance that our sons and daughters will be okay?  Believe me, God wants that too- He’s a Father after all.  

He’s assured us that if we are His sheep He will care for us, protect us, guide us, accompany us, and provide for us abundantly.  But He also promises that surely, SURELY, goodness and love WILL follow us all the days of our life.

The word surely in Hebrew is ‘ak’.  It’s an affirmation that means “certainly” or “nevertheless”.  “It’s a positive affirmation with emphasis on the expression of a truth: surely there is no doubt.” (1)

Throughout Psalm 23, God shows us all of the ways He cares, protects and provides for us.  Then, at the end, He affirms that He will, without question, bless us again (and again and again) with His goodness and loving kindness- always, forever, continually and without fail.  God will never ‘fall out of love’ with us.  Read that again.  God will NEVER not love us.  He cannot- it’s not in His nature to not love, because God is love, 1 John 4:11 “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.”

Oh how we want our sons and daughters to believe this and experience it for themselves!!  May they know the Love of God intimately, personally, perpetually so that their life is dominated and directed by it.  May it be all-consuming, ever-comforting, and perpetually present and tangible to them.  Today, let’s pray for just that.  That our dear ones would come to understand and experience the goodness of God and His relentless, unexpiring, comprehensive love for them.  

“Oh, gracious, loving Father, Abba.  You are the One who loved us before we ever knew You.  Father, I pray in your goodness and mercy, You would surround (name) today.  Show them Your mighty protection from the things of this world that would pull their gaze from You and would seek to deceive them with promises of fulfillment that will never satisfy.  I pray that as in Exodus 33:19, all of Your goodness would overflow abundantly to (name).  “And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”  I pray that not only Your goodness, but Your mercy would be present in (name)’s life.  Show them, Lord, how You protect and keep them.  Open their eyes to the spiritual shield around them.  Give them knowledge and understanding that Your Sovereignty ordains their steps and determines their days.  Help (name) crave Your goodness and Your mercy.  Lord, may they live out the scripture of Psalm 23, following You as Lord and Shepherd, knowing their needs are fulfilled, their whole being is safe and protected and that their inheritance in the saints is secure.  Lord, God, Almighty, I pray that You would draw their heart to Your own so that they desire and seek You all of their days.  May they abide in You so that when You call them home, they will abide WITH You, eternally.  I pray these things in the precious name of Jesus, my Lord and Savior, amen.”

Pray without ceasing.

1. H389 - 'aḵ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (ESV). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h389/esv/wlc/0-1/

Dark Valleys, Divine Protection

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley,” Psalm 23:4a  

(location, progression)

Dark valleys.  We don’t like them; we wouldn’t choose them, yet, most of us have encountered them at some point in our life.  The King James version calls it “the valley of the shadow of death”.  It could be the physical death of one we love or maybe it’s the death of a dream, a passion, a project or career, it may even refer to dying to ourselves so we can live for Christ.  The valley of the shadow of death means there is a deep loss that is present and abiding.

But look at the wording in Psalm 23:4…the valley of the shadow of death.  We only see shadows when there is light present.  The fact that there is a shadow in the valley tells us there is Light in the valley with us.  The Light of God shows us that death is just a shadow- it is powerless to harm us eternally.  Jesus conquered the power of sin and death.  “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” Revelation 1:18.   There is nothing Satan can do to separate us from the love of God and from His protection.  “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

So, although death is inevitable for everyone, it’s not our final destination as believers and we need to cling to that truth.  Death, for the believer, is a doorway to the eternal life that God intends us to live with Him in perfect shalom relationship.  

Yet, the valley is there and it’s likely we’ll walk through it, perhaps many times while on this earth.  But take note of that other phrase, “even though I walk through”.  Did you see it?  We’re not staying.  We’re walking through.  The darkest valley isn’t where we settle.  It’s not where God intends for us to stay.  We don’t put down roots there.  We travel through with our Shepherd by our side.  It’s a temporary location for us, but not where He intends us to dwell.

Oh how we need to be reminded of this!  How our sons and daughters need this encouragement to help them to trust and obey, to follow without faltering, especially through the dark valleys.   Jesus endured death so we wouldn’t have to-  He conquered death so we could live a victorious life!  He walks through the dark valley with us so that we will be reminded that His presence is our light and our assurance.  Psalm 56:13 “For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.”  

“But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.” Psalm 49:15

Let’s pray today that our sons and daughters have perspective and assurance when they encounter dark valleys. 

“Jesus, You are the light of the world.  What a comfort and assurance that is in this dark world.  It is so easy to be overwhelmed by the evil that surrounds us and feel as if we’re going to be overcome by it.  But  You told us that,  “whoever follows You will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).  I pray that (name) would cling to that Truth.  Help (name) to love light more than darkness and to follow after You with all of their heart, mind, and strength.  Keep them walking faithfully alongside You in the right paths You choose- even if they lead into dark valleys.  Lord, I know You walk with them, remind them of that.  Let (name) see visible affirmations of Your Presence today and assure them that wherever You lead them, You will be Present beside them, walking with them through the hardest of times and places.  Remind them, too, that the darkness is not where they live.  The dark valley isn’t their home.  You will lead us out of the valley, You will reach down and rescue us from the deep waters (Ps. 18:16).  Lord Jesus, I pray that whatever (name)’s location is, physically or spiritually, that You would give them the strength to move forward, not turning back or to the side and sustain them to endure whatever You lead them to, assuring them that  You will, indeed, lead them through it.  “The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?” Ps 27:1  I pray Your mighty protection over (name), in Jesus’ name, amen.”

”I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4b 

(companion, confidence, protection, support)

I will fear NO evil.  None.  Not even just a little bit, not some, but NO EVIL.  How can we be confident of that?  How can we encourage our sons and daughters when we’re surrounded by evil in this world?  We see it everywhere and it can be overwhelming.

The first thing to remember is that second part of the verse, “I will fear no evil, for You are with me”.  God is ever-present and all powerful.  He will never leave us or forsake us - those are the very words He used to encourage Moses and Joshua.  “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)  Our God is faithful.  It is in his nature and character to be so.  

Remember, God has not given  us a spirit of fear ...so if we are struggling with fear, where is that coming from?  Ah, there it is!  The enemy!  Ephesians 6:12 says “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

As God shepherds us, He is strong to lead, protect, and save.  He’s not just a general who sits in the war room- watching from afar while we fight the battle.  He’s not just the captain on the battlefield, seeing only the fight in front of him.  And He’s not simply the ‘special forces’ sent in to complete an extraction when things are dire.  He is everything we need at all times surrounding us completely and holding us up through it all.  He holds fast the spiritual boundaries that keep us safe.  He is the strong arm that pulls us out of deep waters and dangerous pits, the sword and shield that hold off the enemy who would try to drag us away.  “You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.” Psalm 139:5

We have unrivaled protection and support from our loving  God.  We will fear no evil!  Let’s pray that our sons and daughters do not live in fear, but would have confidence that God is with them always, watching, caring, protecting and saving.

Let’s pray scripture over our sons and daughters today:

“The LORD is (name)’s light and their salvation— whom shall they fear? The LORD is the stronghold of (name)’s  life— of whom shall they be afraid?  When the wicked advance against them to devour them, it is their enemies and foes who will stumble and fall.  Though an army besiege (name), (name)’s heart will not fear; though war break out against (name), even then they will be confident.”  Psalm 27:1-3

Abba, Father, Almighty Lord, I pray Your word over (name).

(Name) “Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.” Psalm 37:1-2 

Lord, give (name) strong spiritual confidence in Your protection and watchful care.

“The way of the LORD is a refuge for the blameless, but it is the ruin of those who do evil.” Proverbs 10:29

Keep (name) walking and living blamelessly.  Guide them on right paths for Your name’s sake.  Keep them faithful to You and protect them from fear and from the enemy.

“Therefore, (name) put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”  Ephesians 6:13

“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen (name) and protect (name) from the evil one.”  2 Thessalonians 3:3 

I pray that (name) would “Fear no evil- sin and death are conquered”  Revelation 1:8

Give name strength to stand against the evil one and to live in victory through Jesus, in His name I pray, amen.”

Pray without ceasing, friends. 

Green Pastures, Still Waters

“He makes me lie down in green pastures,” Psalm 23:2

(rest, satisfying our hunger)

“Rabas-'' to cause to lie down, stretch out; [term] used of quadrupeds, which lie on their breast with their feet tucked under them.” (1)

When our children were young, we often made them lie down for a nap because we knew they needed rest. It was good for them and refreshing.  We’d peek in on them to see them stretched out or curled up, snug in their bed and secure in their safety because they knew we were present to protect them.  They didn’t feel the need to sleep in a pose that would have them ready to defend themselves because they rested in our watchful protection.  “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8  God is our watch-care Shepherd.  He leads us to safe places where we can rest and be refreshed without concern of the enemy.  

The green pastures are not just for rest, though.  God uses them to satisfy our hunger with good nutrition.  When we follow our Shepherd we are spiritually filled and satisfied beyond anything this world could supply.  Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

Parents, we need to live by example and show our sons and daughters that we, too, find our spiritual nutrition in the ‘green pastures’ to which the Lord leads us.  We set an example for our sons and daughters to not fill up on the ‘junk food’ of this world but to fill ourselves with the lush spiritual truths from Scripture.  And how satisfying that is!

“Great Creator, Lord of all, Jehovah Provider, I pray that (name) would feast on the abundance of Your table each day.  Help them to satiate their hunger on the Truth of Your Word and savor the beauty of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Let them develop a distinguished spiritual palate that is put off by ‘processed’ and ‘fake’ foods that wouldn’t nourish them.  Give them discernment about what they would choose to spiritually ingest so that what they consume is life-giving and strength-sustaining, ensuring they are properly nourished so they can follow You well.  Lord, give them rest in Your pastures, free from predators who would seek to deceive them and pull them from Your flock.  Surround them with Your protection, Lord, and help them rest secure in the salvation You offer.”

“He leads me beside quiet waters,” Ps 23:3

(refreshment, quenching our thirst)

Sheep don’t swim well at all.  In fact, they’re afraid of moving water because, even in their simplicity, they understand that their wool, soaked with water, would quickly drag them under and the current would carry them off.  God has given them the instinct to know that fast-moving water is a threat.  Deep water and strong currents are deadly.  

God gives us the Holy Spirit to warn us away from those things that would drag us down and carry us off, as well.  Our Shepherd leads us beside quiet waters where we can drink our fill and be quenched without fear.  He knows what is best.  But we have to trust His leadership and listen to His voice.  You see, sometimes still water runs deep, and well-under the surface are strong currents that could put us in danger.  We need to trust the Shepherd and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to ensure we’re protected and drinking deeply from waters that are best for us.  When our sons and daughters look to find a church, and fellowship with other believers, we need to pray that the Holy Spirit leads them to refreshing waters that don’t have an undercurrent that distorts or defies Scripture.  Pray that He leads them to a fellowship that isn’t all about a man-leader, but all about God and His Word.  We need to pray that He leads our sons and daughters to quiet waters where they can learn and be refreshed.  Isaiah 49:10 “They will neither hunger nor thirst.  The searing sun will not reach them anymore.  For the LORD in His mercy will lead them; He will lead them beside cool waters.”

“Father, God, You watch us closely and lead us carefully.  You desire that we would find rest and refreshment in You, but to do that, we need to trust You and listen to Your voice.  We need to depend on and be submitted to the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us to teaching and learning that is God-honoring and true to Your Word.  I pray that (name) would find a church home and a fellowship of believers who follow their Shepherd without compromise and cling to His Word with all the strength You provide.  Lord, keep them from dangerous currents that would carry them off to apostasy, to deception and to following their own heart- which is deceitful above all things.  Help (name) to follow Your heart, to trust Your leading, and to drink their full of the refreshment of Scripture each day.  Give them a deep spiritual thirst for Your Truth and the careful discernment to quench that only with what You provide- no substitutions.  Sustain them, Lord, by Your provision and protection, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

Let’s pray that our sons and daughters continue to pursue true refreshment and rest in Christ and that they would not look to the world to satisfy those longings within, but would turn to Jesus to be their Provider, Sustainer, and Source of Life.  Pray that they would drink deeply of the Living Water that quenches our ever-present spiritual thirst.  Only Jesus can satisfy.  Pray that they trust and follow their Shepherd into green pastures and still waters.

Pray without ceasing

1. H7257 - rāḇaṣ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h7257/kjv/wlc/0-1/

Of Giants, Valleys, and Godly Parents

We’re all familiar with the story of David and Goliath.  We know a bit about David’s family, too.  Three of his brothers were in the service of Saul’s army, though he had 7 brothers, altogether.  David was the youngest of them and he tended the sheep.  Their father’s name was Jesse, the son of Obed, who was the son of Ruth and Boaz.  David had a godly heritage.  

But have you ever wondered about David’s mother?  She’s not mentioned in the Bible, but her influence is there, if you stop and look.

But first, let’s agree on a major factor of parenthood.  We strive to protect our children, right?  We watch over them, teach them to be cautious and careful.  We caution them against danger and we encourage them to avoid those people, locations, and situations that could lead to harm.

Now, imagine you’re standing in the sandals of David’s mother.  An unnamed woman only referred to in Scripture one time (bear with me, we’ll get there).  But her influence is evident if we look closely.  And the impact she had on her son gave him wisdom and guidance for years to come, and impacted the heritage of the Messiah.  

When David encountered Goliath, scholars estimate he was likely in his teens.  His brothers were old enough to serve in the army, but David was not.  Saul even called him a ‘youth’ (1 Samuel 17:33)  Yet, in spite of his age, he demonstrated character, faith, and bravery beyond his years.

David went toward the conflict.

David, following his father’s direction, went to the camp of the Israelite army to deliver food and supplies to his brothers (1 Samuel 17:17-18).  Any good mother likely would have added, “You go and you come right back- be safe!” Yet, David’s mother didn’t argue, resist or try and keep him from going toward the conflict. She didn’t shield him from it.  That’s brave, friends.

Do we pray that our sons and daughters avoid the conflict, or do we pray they are kept safe in the midst of it?

David was prepared, even before he knew he would fight a giant.

David’s mother wasn’t there to tell him how to fight, but it’s likely she reminded him to always step out prepared.  As a shepherd, he needed to defend his sheep and where there was one enemy or predator, there would likely be more lurking, awaiting the opportunity to attack.  David’s mother knew that - she surely heard the story of the lion…and the bear (1 Samuel 17:34-36).  So she certainly reminded him of the danger and encouraged him to be ready.

David also knew conflict typically wasn’t resolved with one stone or by one fight.  He fully depended on God for the victory, but knew it might require more than one throw, so he collected five stones.  (There is history to suggest that Goliath had 4 brothers 2 Samuel 21:15-22).  David was prepared for whatever God led him into that day.

Do we speak into our sons and daughters so they walk out prepared?  Are we reminding them of the spiritual dangers they may face?  Training doesn't start after the battle begins.  No, the training and preparation begin in order to be ready when the conflict occurs, and it will occur.  Are we reminding our sons and daughters of the importance of time in the Word and fellowship with other believers to sharpen them?  Are they cognizant of the dangers they may face and intentional to be ready when they come?  We need to pray that they are.

David didn’t allow the taunts and words of others to deter him, deflate his courage, or damage his faith.

When David offered to face Goliath, David’s own brothers hurled angry words and insults at him, mocking his bravery and casting him aside.  They had no faith in his ability and their warrior-egos were offended at the thought.

But Goliath’s words were what struck a chord with David.  Goliath didn’t just mock Israel, he mocked God (I Samuel 17:36-37)

You see, David wasn’t defending himself.  He was standing up for the fear and reputation of Jehovah, the Almighty God. 

Parents, have we taught our sons and daughters to fear God?  Do we encourage them to defend the name of Jesus Christ, no matter the cost?  Believers in so many nations around the world know the cost of claiming Jesus as Lord, but Western cultures don’t often face that, in fact, we often are indifferent to the cost because we haven’t suffered.  Someday soon we may come face to face with that. We must all be ready.

Oh how we need to pray that:

1. Our sons and daughters would listen for and hear the Word of the Lord over the words of the world

2. That they would defend the name of Jesus, no matter the cost

David stepped into the valley to face the giant.

David didn’t run away from the conflict, he walked toward it.  The Israelite camp was on a hill on one side of the Elah Valley and the Philistine camp was on the other.  There was no misdirection or error in David’s steps.  He went down into the valley.  Now, read Psalm 23:4 

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”  

There is no evidence to say his Goliath encounter was David’s inspiration for Psalm 23:4, but it surely gives us something to ponder! It helps us look at it in a new light.

Do we encourage our sons and daughters to have strong faith in the Lord that will strengthen them as they face hardships?  Or do we pray they avoid the hard things?  Do we pray they are protected from suffering? Because if we do, we’re actually praying them to a weakened faith. Think about that. Our effort to shield and protect them can actually leave them weak and vulnerable!

Romans 5:3-5 ““we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.””

Now, back to David’s mother

Though David’s mother isn’t mentioned by name in Scripture, her influence is noted by David in Psalm 86:16 “Turn to me and have mercy on me; show your strength on behalf of your servant; save me, because I serve you just as my mother did.” (NIV)

“I serve you just as my mother did.”  That’s a testimony that will preach, friends.  

It brings two questions:

1. How are we serving God as parents?

2. How are we praying for our sons and daughters?

Our children will face Goliaths.  They will walk in the valley.  They will be mocked and taunted.  But will they be prepared and will they fear God more than they fear man?

Today, let’s pray in the power of the Holy Spirit that God will transform our sons and daughters into bold spiritual warriors who will boldly face the enemy, not for their own glory, but for the name and fame of Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit.

“Almighty Father, I come to You in the name of Your risen Son, Jesus and through the power of the Holy Spirit who indwells me because of Calvary.  Put Your hand on (name) today.  First, draw them in to spend precious time in Your word before they start their day.  Let their time be sacred and inspired, may it fill them with spiritual strength and boldness.  Prepare them, Lord, for what they may face.  Give them words to respond and courage to speak up for the name of Jesus.  If You lead them into the valley, surround them with Your protection.  Help (name) to fully realize that their victory is not dependent on their strength or wisdom, their cunning or skill, but fully on Your power and Presence in the battle.  Lord, I know they will face conflict.  I know they will walk through dark valleys in the presence of enemies, but I know You are greater, stronger and You are victorious.  Lord, be their armor and their light.  Open their eyes to see the necessity of being spiritually prepared.  And Lord, I pray that my life would be a testimony of being surrendered to you, wholly and completely..  I pray that my sons and daughters would one day pray “Turn to me and have mercy on me; show your strength on behalf of your servant; save me, because I serve you just as my mother (or father)did.” In Jesus’ mighty, victorious name I pray, Amen.”

Pray without ceasing.

Remorse vs. Repentance

Remorse vs. Repentance, what’s the difference?  Does it matter?

We sometimes hear about those who have committed a crime and, during the court proceedings, the offender shows remorse for their actions.  We look for remorse as a sign that the offender understands they’ve done wrong.  But, remorse alone isn’t enough, is it?

Matthew 27:3 “When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders.”  

That’s right.  Judas showed remorse.  According to Strong’s Concordance, the word for remorse in Greek is “metamelomai” which means “to care afterward” (1).  Isn’t that profound?  Judas cared afterward.  He only regretted his actions after the deed was done.  

Remorse is incomplete.  It’s only a half-step in the direction of change.  It’s an act of sorrow without a transformation.  But if the sinner goes no further, there is no change.  It’s more of an “I’m sorry because I got caught”.  Remorse is sorrow for the immediate consequences but there remains a desire to continue pursuing the life, attitudes and sinful pleasures that caused the occasion for  regret.  A show of remorse doesn’t mean the person’s changed their ways. The individual may only become more stealthy and more deceitful because, deep down, there was no change of heart, just a brief show of contrition to cover the offense.

Friends, remorse isn’t enough.  We need to pray for repentance.  

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” 2 Corinthians 7:10  

Godly sorrow is the word, “lype” and it describes a sorrow, pain and grief; a mourning (2).  Godly sorrow is grieving according to the will of God, “kata” (3).  When we allow God to stir our hearts, we’re grieved by our sin and we’re drawn to repentance- a desire to change, turn from sin to God. We begin to see how our sin is rebellion against God and how it drives us away from Him.

Repentance, ‘metanoya’ in the Greek, is a change of mind, a guilt that includes reformation and a reversal of decision or action.  The word has two parts, ‘meta’- the whole, before, and after and ‘noya’ - the deeper understanding. Repentance is a deeper understanding of the grievousness of our sin and the gravity of the offense against God.

Remorse is being sorry for the moment.  Repentance is grieving over the whole story, how the sin has impacted everything before and will continue to destroy everything following…unless there is a change.  Does it make sense?  Can you see the difference?  Godly sorrow brings repentance.  Remorse doesn’t bring change at all.

Godly sorrow brings repentance. 

Remorse doesn’t bring change at all.

Matthew 5:4 says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”  Can you see the deeper meaning here?  If Godly sorrow is mourning over our sin…and Jesus is the remedy for our sin… what comfort!! What relief!! 

Jesus wasn’t just speaking about those grieving loved ones lost, that’s the ‘surface’ meaning.  No, He was talking about mourning our sin.  Blessed are those who mourn.  Blessed are those who see their sin and are grieved by it.  Blessed are they who understand that sin brings death.  Blessed are they who grieve its presence, its impact and the destruction it causes.  Because when they do see and understand it, and grieve it honestly and ‘metanoya’= seek change through the redemption that Jesus brings, they will be blessed, they will live! Eternal life will be theirs to enjoy!

Oh how we want the hearts of our sons and daughters to be tender to the Lord!  Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters are confronted with their sin. That’s a hard prayer, but an important one. Don’t just pray that they are remorseful, because that’s an incomplete response to sin that doesn’t generate change.  Pray for repentance and redemption. Pray for a life surrendered to Jesus.

“Father, You see our secret sins, the ones we hide and cherish.  You see the things we choose to do when we think no one is looking.  You see our desires and our endeavors.  You know our motivations.  I know You see  the heart of my (son/daughter) and You know the sin they struggle with.  Lord, they cannot hide from You and they cannot deceive You, I’m so grateful for that.  I pray that You would work in (name)’s heart today.  Don’t just cause them to be ‘caught’ and remorseful, but Lord, stir a deep grief in their heart and mind for any way they’ve opposed You.  I pray that they would understand the pain their sin caused others and You.  I pray, Lord, that they would mourn the ways that sin impacts their life, the ‘before, present and afterward’ unless they repent and seek restoration and redemption in Jesus.  Lord, even if (name) knows You as Lord and Savior, sin still plays a role because we live in a sinful world.  I pray that You would stir in them an honest mourning for sin and a desire to seek repentance.  Work in my life, too, Lord.  Help me to grieve over sin, as well.  I’m not beyond making mistakes or stumbling.  Help me not to be prideful but to admit any wrong that I’ve done.  Change me, Lord, so that I reflect Christ in my life.  Bring fruit.  Destroy the “Judas” in my heart and replace it with Jesus so that I live for Him daily.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Pray for a life surrendered to Jesus.

Pray without ceasing

1. G3338 - metamelomai - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3338/niv/mgnt/0-1/

2. G3077 - lypē - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3077/niv/mgnt/0-1/

3. G2596 - kata - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2596/niv/mgnt/0-1/

Doubt, Part 3: Independence and Suspicion

We’ve reached our final week discussing doubt and praying for protection and deliverance for our loved ones who struggle.  (if you missed parts 1 and 2, just go back to the posts from the last two weeks)

Here is our chart, once again.  We’ll focus on the last two lines today discussing independence and suspicion.

Independence is a false sense of security in oneself and one’s knowledge.  It is an inability or unwillingness to trust God.  Proverbs 26:12 “Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”  Essentially, independence is self-importance and self-reliance that essentially makes us a god unto ourselves. Satan’s first big deception was based on this lie. When he tempted Adam and Eve to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil he said, “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”" Genesis 3:5. Ah, being like God, independent and in charge of one’s own destiny. Being like God with no need for support, protection and provision. Independent….and lost. Because we are not like God at all. We are made in His image, yet we are so in need of a Savior. Independence is a lie of the Enemy meant to keep us from the safety of the Savior.

But  Psalm 40:4 says, “ Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!”  Reliance on the Lord is not a weakness, it’s a powerful, spirit-infused strength that combats “principalities and powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world and against spiritual wickedness” Ephesians 6:13.  Now that’s security! We must pray that our sons and daughters continually see their need for the Lord and willingly submit themselves to Him. Pray that the lie of independence would be obvious and the yearning for dependence on their Savior would be insatiable.

Suspicion is the final aspect of doubt that we’ll discuss here.  It’s an inability to trust.  It’s a constant questioning and refusal to believe the truth of something.  But John 14:6 tells us, “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  And God doesn’t lie…so if what He says is true, we can believe it.  Paul confirms this in Titus 1:2, “ in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time.” and Hebrews 6:18, “...it is impossible for God to lie…”  He is True.  He is Faithful  We CAN trust Him! We need to pray that our sons and daughters don’t allow doubt to creep in and stir suspicion against the Lord. And if that suspicion arises, that they have spiritual discretion to know whether it’s a warning of the Holy Spirit or a deception of the enemy to pull them from the Lord.

Now, look at the opposite list that contradicts the list of doubts. God gives so many assurances that fight the doubt stirred up by the devil.

Certainty:

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

Clarity:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1: 1-5

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Confidence:

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

Knowledge:

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;” Proverbs 2:6

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” James 3:17

Reliance:

“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;” Psalm 1:1-6

Trust:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

“Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!” Psalm 40:4

Friends, doubt is a scheme of the devil.  He will veil our eyes so that what is true is concealed.  He will  interfere with our understanding so we are confused.  He is the author of doubt, confusion and fear….and too often we risk falling victim to his schemes.  We MUST be in the Word!!  We must know the truth and be able to speak it out to battle against doubt and deception.

Today, let’s pray that God would protect our sons and daughters from the dangers of doubt. Pray that God would make His Truth clear to them in visible, tangible, understandable ways. Pray that, as in Psalm 1, they would not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of the ungodly but that they would pursue Christ only and always.

Friends, only God can turn a heart of stone into a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). If God can turn the heart of a King any direction He chooses (Proverbs 21:1), He can certainly turn the heart of our sons and daughters toward Him and guard them against the enemy.

Today, write out a prayer for your sons and daughters that you can pray throughout the week. If you’d be willing to share it, we’d love to read it! Let’s encourage one another on to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24). Let’s build one another up in our most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit (Jude 1:20).

Pray without ceasing.

Doubt: part 1. Ambiguity and Confusion

James 1:6 “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” (ESV)

or

James 1:6 “But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.” (NLT)

or

James 1:6 “But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.” (NASB)

__________________________________________________________________

Doubt can color everything, can’t it?  It can impact our trust, our understanding, our ability to connect with others and, ultimately, our ability to trust in the Lord.  We often hear the phrase “I doubt it” and we may even use it ourselves.  It’s our way of expressing disbelief, or at least skepticism.  It can be a challenge or a simple expression of ambiguity.  But when it comes to our faith, it can crack our foundation or bring rot to our roots.  

What really causes doubt?  Over the next few weeks we’re going to look at some other words for doubt and their antonyms to give us a bit more insight.  We want to be confident in how we should pray for others who may struggle with doubt.

Look at that list.  Do you see anything unique about the left column?  The words are all tactics Satan uses to undermine the work of the Holy Spirit, to erode our faith and to woo people away from Christ. This week we’ll look at the first two words, ambiguity and confusion and we’ll dive into the others over the next two weeks.

If we’re ambiguous it means that we’re open to various meanings and we’re equivocal (1). We’re prone to “waffle”. Someone who is ambiguous will not say there is just one way to Heaven, that would be too narrow and exclusive. No, they’ll be more of an ‘all roads lead to Heaven” kind of person.  But John 14:6 says, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  We can be certain that Jesus is the only way to reconciliation with God, forgiveness of sin and redemption to eternal life.

Satan wants nothing more than to remove absolutes.  If he can convince people that ‘being a good person’ or ‘doing good works’ will earn a spot in Heaven, then he’s accomplished his deception and lured people from the cross.  Ambiguity leads to variations of the gospel, yet Galatians 1:6-7 warns us “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.”  Yes, there are ‘different gospels’ out there, but only One gospel is the gospel of Jesus Christ that provides grace and mercy for sinners.  Romans 10:9 confirms it, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”  That is Biblical certainty right there- there’s nothing ambiguous about it.   

We need to pray that our sons and daughters have a clear understanding of justification and redemption through Jesus Christ. Romans 4:25-5:2 “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” Pray that they would have spiritual wisdom and would daily pursue Godly knowledge so that they are on guard against false gospels that would woo them from the cross. Pray that they have peace in the certainty that there is one way to the Father and that is through Jesus.

The second tactic Satan uses is confusion- a state of disorder.  Have you ever been to a party where they play “pin the tail on the donkey”?  The player is blindfolded and then spun around several times so they lose their bearings and have no sense of direction.  Because they’re blindfolded, they have no ability to ‘see’ where they are going and their senses are confused. The spectators around them yell directions, but not everyone is honest about the destination they’re pointing toward. Just like the player in the game, those who struggle with confusion listen to those around them with no sense of who is leading them or to what they are being led. They lack a foundation of Truth and because of that, they’re vulnerable to follow the wrong path.

There are many ‘voices’ that give false direction.  Oh, they ‘look the part’. They sound knowledgeable. But even Satan used scripture to tempt Jesus (Luke 4). Those struggling with spiritual confusion lack the spiritual discretion that warns them from false teachers. These other voices  ‘sound good’ and the doubters begin to buy into the message.  Why?  Because they lack knowledge of Scripture.  They lack a solid foundation.  They lack spiritual discretion and a heart in tune with the Holy Spirit. Satan counts on that. He stirs confusion to pull people away from the Truth.  But scripture says, “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace—as in all the churches of the saints.”  1 Corinthians 14:33  

An understanding of Scripture brings clarity.  Pursuing correct knowledge and growing in our understanding of God’s Word protects us from confusion by the enemy. We must pray that our sons and daughters are diligent to add to their Biblical knowledge and guard against deception and confusion. 2 Peter 3: 17-18 “Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”

This week, let’s pray over our sons and daughters so ambiguity and confusion would not infect and impact their faith and cause them to doubt.  Friends, the enemy is alive and well.  He is the prince of the power of this earth.  He is at work to draw us away from Christ and plant the seeds of doubt in our hearts.  Let’s fight this!!  Let’s get on our knees and intercede for those we love.  

“Father, You see the dangers we face each day and You are mighty to surround us with protection. I pray for Your divine protection over (name) today. Filter what they hear through the Truth of Scripture. Give them spiritual discernment to know when they encounter false teaching or deceptive messages. I pray that they would have unwavering commitment to walk with You so they are not easily pulled from the path of life and sidelined by the enemy. Keep their path clear of obstacles that would make them ‘trip’ and make their direction sure- always pointed toward You and moving closer each day. Lord, guard us all from ambiguity and confusion. Don’t allow the opinions of others or the pressure of the crowd to influence our commitment and certainty about following Christ. I pray Philippians 4:7 over (name) today “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Pray without ceasing.

Acid Tongue

Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Acid burns.  It corrodes.  It’s sour.  Those qualities can describe our words,  too.  They hit hard, they burn and fester. Words can eat away at our heart and mind leaving them raw, exposed and hurting. Words can set our spirit on edge and cause damage that is not easily repaired.

Sometimes we may find ourselves using our words to try and motivate certain responses or actions - what we think our sons and daughters should do or be.  But that can quickly turn into using words as a weapon to accomplish our own agenda.  Our words can become passive-aggressive and just plain nasty.  Maybe we don’t intend them to be so; sometimes we don’t realize the weight and sharpness of our words.  But we should.

James 3:5-10 says, “Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.  All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind,  but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.  With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.  Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”

Our words can pull others close, or push them away.  They can speak truth in love and be a balm to a  hurting heart.  Or our words can be caustic, burning as they hit and leaving scars as they sink deeply.  Our mantra should not be “well, the truth hurts”.  It should be “how can I speak like Jesus?”  You see, Jesus didn’t look for opportunities to tear others down, to speak ‘truth that hurts’ or to use passive-aggressive means to win souls.  He didn’t use His words to puff himself up or show himself ‘better than’. He didn’t use words to shame or humiliate.   No, Jesus was compassionate.  He was thoughtful.  

Yes, Jesus spoke truth- He IS the Truth.  But he spoke it in such a way that the ‘other’ was respected.  He spoke with words that intrigued the listener and supported the Holy Spirit’s work in them.  Even those caught in sin were spoken to in love, not spite or arrogance (that was the Pharisees’ approach).  The woman in John 8, caught in sin, wasn’t given a whole sermon on her depravity.  She wasn’t paraded out as an example to others and shamed for her actions.  Her missteps were not listed out for her and all others to hear.  She wasn’t humiliated because of her error, she was shown compassion, because Jesus loved her and He wanted His words to reflect His love and compassion.

Proverbs 12:18 “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”  

Let’s not allow our words to be dictated by which day of the week it is….- speaking sweetly on Sunday when we’re at church and then turning the switch to acid words when we get in the car and set our Bible aside.  Let’s stop and think, “will my response, my words, my questions and my encouragements make others love Jesus more…or will they begin to corrode the heart and spirit of the listener?”

The Lord calls us to love Him with all of our heart, our soul, our mind and our strength (Luke 10:27). If all of us is consumed with Him, then our words will be a by-product of that relationship. We’ll speak words of truth and life because that’s where our heart, soul, mind and strength are grounded . If our words don’t reflect that, it’s an indication that our focus might need some readjusting.

Friends, Jesus doesn’t need us to be another's ‘Holy Spirit’.  He’s got that covered.  He needs us to speak truth in love.  Yes, friends, it’s time to watch our words.  Let’s put aside the acid tongue and speak to one another, to our sons and daughters, to those who may be within earshot, with an agape vocabulary: one that shows affection, goodwill, benevolence and love.  “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”  Proverbs 16:24.

Today, let’s pray that we speak in ways that reflect Christ.  Pray that our sons and daughters would as well.  Pray that the Holy Spirit would put a guard on our tongues and prick our hearts when we begin to pour acid instead of honey.  Let’s impact our world with the Love of Christ, not the sting and stench of the old nature.

“Father, You are the Author of Truth and the giver of good.  If we are your children, we should reflect Your nature- help us to do that.  I pray that when I speak, it would be motivated by love and not my own agenda.  Lord, I so want my sons and daughters to follow after You.  But sometimes my words don’t encourage them and the example I set is not always one that reflect You.  Change me, Lord.  Make me more like Jesus.  Let the words I speak build others up- even if they’re just overhearing, let them be blessed because they hear Jesus in the way and words that I speak.  I pray for (name) today.  Let the words of their mouth and the meditation of their heart be pleasing in Your sight, Lord (Ps. 19:14)  Lord, help us to respond, not react, when we choose to speak.  Let our words be like honey, not like acid.  Lord, I love You and I want to represent You well.  Please work in me, work in my family, let our words point others to the cross, not to a wake of wreckage that we leave behind due to our acid tongues. Let us be known for the sweetness of our words, not an acid tongue. “Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth: keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Ps 141:3”  In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”

Pray without ceasing, friends!

G26 - agapē - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g26/kjv/tr/0-1/

Saturday Review

As we reach the end of the week, let’s pray through our prayer points one more time. Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor., do we believe that? He guides, directs and instructs us, let’s pray that He leads our sons and daughters in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Today, the scripture for each prayer point is included. Take some time to read and meditate on the truths. Keep on praying friends, God is still working, always working. He will nurture those seeds and bring growth and fruit. Trust Him.

Isaiah 9:6-7 

So many voices are competing for the attention and alliance of our sons and daughters, promising life, joy, health, wealth and the like.  But those voices only lead to bondage, emptiness, disappointment, and disillusion.  We need to pray that our sons and daughters look to Jesus and only Jesus to be their Wonderful Counselor.  He alone is wise, trustworthy and powerful enough to bring resolution, redemption and righteous freedom.  He is the Wonderful Counselor who longs to be Lord of their heart and their life.

Isaiah 11:2-3

Pray for our sons and daughters that they will understand that Jesus is the ultimate Counselor, full of wisdom and understanding.  Pray that they would trust Him with their burdens and challenges.  Pray that they would rest in His strength and might.  Pray that their hearts would desire Jesus and His integrity and fear of the Lord over the ‘bargain options’ that offer cheap counsel that cannot save them.

Psalm 32:8

Pray that our sons and daughters would lean on Jesus for wise instruction and direction.  He watches over them so lovingly.  He WILL counsel them, but they need to be listening.   Let’s pray, too, that as parents, we point them in the direction of finding answers from the Lord and listening to His voice as they wait.

Psalm 16:7

Pray that our sons and daughters are drenching themselves in the truth of God’s word, day and night.  Let’s pray that there is much in their hearts and minds that God can use to counsel and instruct them, day and night.

Psalm 73:23-26

Pray that  our sons and daughters would take hold of Jesus’ hand and let Him guide them each and every day.  Pray they would look for and listen to His counsel.  Pray that God would be the strength of their heart and their portion forever, their Wonderful Counselor.

Pray without ceasing.

Saturday Review

Wow, we covered a lot this week, didn’t we? It’s always good to go back and review. Repetition isn’t unfruitful, it’s necessary for learning and reinforcing what we know. God never tires of hearing our prayers. Let’s go to Him once more with this week’s prayer points.

• Pray that our sons and daughters choose to embrace Jesus and live in His light.  
  

• Pray they would not be deceived by the Enemy who masquerades as light but leads people to a life of darkness, separated from God.  

• Pray that they live out the truth in authentic, visible ways that would clearly show Whose side they are on and they would do it without compromise.

• Pray that our sons and daughters are convicted to Love the Lord their God with all their heart and love others in a godly way as well.
  

• Pray that they obey his word, and that love for God is truly made complete in them. 
  

• Pray they will live as Jesus did.
  

• Pray that our sons and daughters would cling to life in Christ and would avoid those sins that would damage their relationship with God.  
  

• Pray protection over and around them.  
  

• Pray for discernment and a submissive spirit.
  

• Pray that our sons and daughters cling to the truth of scripture and weigh everything they hear against the Truth.

• Pray that what they’ve heard from the beginning remains in them and that God’s Word continues to stay rooted in them,  deepening their knowledge and understanding of Jesus.  
  

• Pray that our sons and daughters would walk faithfully with the Lord and would be unashamed when He returns…and while we’re at it, let’s pray the same would be true for believers around the world. Jesus is coming…soon.

Pray without ceasing

Watch Where You’re Going

2 Peter 3:17-18   “Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”

When our children were little and getting ready to cross the street, we would often take their hand and tell them, “watch where you’re going, be careful!”  Why?  Because they were stepping into an area where things were coming at them from both sides.  The traffic surrounding them was a danger to their safety and they had to be alert so as not to be hit, injured, or worse.

As believers, we have to be alert to those spiritually dangerous zones as well.  Unbiblical teaching can come at us unexpectedly, even from sources that we may trust.  And that’s often when our guard is down. Extra-biblical ideas and rules can creep in and begin to sound a lot like Scripture, yet have no basis.  We begin to believe the authority of the speaker versus the authority of Scripture. Taking scripture out of context can warp the meaning and purpose of God’s words so that they become a method and means of herding believers into areas of belief and doctrine that are man-made, not God-ordained.  We need to watch where we’re going and the direction of those who are teaching and leading.

Today, let’s pray for our sons’ and daughters’ personal Bible study time, that time alone with the Lord when He can teach us, convict us, encourage us and increase our wisdom and knowledge. It’s not easy...sometimes it can take years before someone really finds a way to do purposeful study of the Word and enjoy it.  Let’s pray that the Holy Spirit stirs in their hearts and works in them to give them a hunger and thirst for God’s Word.  Pray that they find joy in their time with the Lord. Pray that their wisdom and discretion are sharpened so that they operate in the grace and knowledge of Jesus and that they can identify and reject ungodly teaching.  Pray that they are alert and sober-minded, spiritually, so they are not caught off guard or deceived by the enemy and his operatives.  Pray that they will watch where they’re going.

“Father, You long to have us spend time with You each day, reading Your word and communing with You in prayer.  It’s so important, yet, we often sacrifice that time with you on the altar of busyness.  I pray that today, (name) would be convicted in their heart to make time with You a priority.  Help me to do the same.  Lord, it’s so, so very  important because that’s how we will grow in knowledge and gain understanding so that we can be wise and discerning.  I pray that (name) would grow to love their quiet time with You.  Give them a hunger and thirst for Your word.  Open their eyes to see wonderful things in Your word that would propel them to want to learn more (Ps. 119:18).  Help them to hide Your word in their heart so they would not sin against You (Ps. 119:11).  May Your word be a lamp to their feet and a light to their path (Ps. 119:105) so they can clearly see the path of righteousness and avoid the dangers and deceptions that might harm them or lead them in the wrong direction.  Lord, I pray that they would grow in wisdom and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and they would have vibrant joy and a strong passion to follow You without compromise.  In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Pray without ceasing.