Why Pray Scripture?
It’s hard to communicate in words what lies in our hearts and what stews in our minds, isn’t it? Sometimes we just cannot put into words the depths of our griefs and joys, the details of our worries and fears. Oftentimes, in speaking to the God of the Universe, we realize our smallness, our limitations, our insufficiencies…and we should. We are fragile, limited, and insufficient…but we are the children of the King! We are sons and daughters of the Most High God and He stoops to hear us.
Psalm 116:1-2 says “I love the LORD because He hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!” (NLT)
God bends down to listen to us. Just like a father would get down to listen to his little child who has a need or something to share, God leans towards us to hear what we’re asking, understand what we’re telling Him, and gives us His full attention because He loves us.
So, why should we pray Scripture? God’s word is so complete that it can put into words what we cannot. Speaking God’s words back to Him demonstrates we value His Word, we understand the power that it holds, and shows our submission to its authority.
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Meditate on that. God’s word is living, not dead, not antiquated, not ‘yesterday’ but alive and working. The Greek word is ‘energes’ and means “active, working, effectual, operative, powerful” (1) The Word of God is active and powerful! And isn’t that what we want our prayers to be?!
Scripture is also sharp, ‘tomos’, meaning it can cut by a single stroke. It’s not dull, requires no hacking, sawing, or repeated blows. The double-edged sword was a prized weapon in battle because you could swing back and forth, taking out your enemies with each swing. A sharp, double-edged sword was to be feared and could not be competed against. Scripture imparts fear in the enemy, friends! Our own words do little. God’s word pierces and divides. When we pray, we want to pierce the darkness and evil, we want to divide error from truth, we want to separate those we are burdened for from the oppression and evil that would seek to bring them down. God’s word is powerful to do that.
Scripture separates and brings distinction between things as well. Hebrews mentions joints and marrow. We might question, “Why did God talk about that?” Consider what a joint does, it connects things and allows for movement. Yet, sometimes our connections are unhealthy and our movements are in the wrong direction. We can use scripture to pray that any movement is God-led and that our sons and daughters remain closely connected to Him. Psalm 1:1-2 is a wonderful passage to pray: “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on His law day and night.”
But what about the marrow? Ah, the marrow is life-generating. We can live without joints, but we cannot live without marrow. The Greek word for marrow is ‘myelos’ and means blood. Marrow allows for life, generates new blood cells that fight infection, carries oxygen, and helps stop bleeding. A bone marrow transplant can restore life. Death of the marrow brings death to the body.
Finally, scripture discerns the intentions of the mind and heart. It is decisive to address each aspect of the individual’s thought life and heart attitude. Scripture is the all-inclusive remedy to every situation, challenge, attack, and need. Psalm 19:7-8 “The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
When we pray Scripture over our sons and daughters, we’re praying the very words of God that are effectual and life-giving, protective and sustaining. We need to form a habit of opening our Bibles and praying back the words we read. If we do, we are praying words that are alive, active, discerning, penetrating, and effective to fight spiritual battles with the double-edged sword of scripture, battling principalities and powers that would seek to harm and destroy. We can pray a spiritual hedge of protection around our sons and daughters. We can ask that the Lord would bring other believers to encourage, challenge, and keep them accountable. Through prayer and Scripture, we have access to the Throne room of The Almighty, Great I AM, our Father, our Savior, our Friend. Scripture is so precious, we must embrace it, learn it, pray it and memorize it.
Let’s boldly pray Scripture this week, speaking God’s own words over our sons and daughters, asking Him for protection, guidance, wisdom and strength. Psalm 25 is a great place to begin, but please, share the Scripture you’re praying!! Let’s encourage one another as we kneel before the Throne!
Psalm 25
1 In you, Lord my God,
I put my trust.
2 I trust in you;
do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3 No one who hopes in you
will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those
who are treacherous without cause.
4 Show me your ways, Lord,
teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you, Lord, are good.
8 Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
9 He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.
10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful
toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.
11 For the sake of your name, Lord,
forgive my iniquity, though it is great.
12 Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?
He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,
and their descendants will inherit the land.
14 The Lord confides in those who fear him;
he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the Lord,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart
and free me from my anguish.
18 Look on my affliction and my distress
and take away all my sins.
19 See how numerous are my enemies
and how fiercely they hate me!
20 Guard my life and rescue me;
do not let me be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because my hope, Lord,[c] is in you.
22 Deliver Israel, O God,
from all their troubles!
Pray without ceasing!
G1756 - energēs - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1756/niv/mgnt/0-1/
How Can A Young Man Keep His Way Pure?
“How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your word.” Psalm 119:9
Remember when our kids would build a fort out of pillows and cushions? They would surround themselves with them to protect themselves from any ‘enemy’ whether it be a sibling or pet who was the perceived ‘intruder’. It was creative and fun. But there is a great spiritual significance to that fort building.
Psalm 119:9 says “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living (or keeping) according to Your word.”
The word “pure” is the Hebrew word “zaka” which means translucent or morally innocent (1). Oh how we pray that for our sons and daughters! But in this world, corruption is easily attained, even if it’s not pursued. So how can they guard against it? And how can we pray?
We pray that they are living according to God's word. That word “living” is the word “samar” in Hebrew. Samar means to hedge about as with thorns, the guard, attend to, be circumspect and keep watch.
In Medieval times, the castle was always built with a keep- that portion of the castle that was the strongest and safest place. It was a fortified town and a place of refuge. Psalm 61:3 says, “For You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.”
Our sons and daughters will only keep their way pure, not just by going about their day with God in mind, but by surrounding themselves with His word, being circumspect- looking all around them and guarding against attack by the enemy.
Just knowing God’s word isn’t enough. Being familiar with it won’t provide the protection and defense we need. No, we need to surround ourselves so that we do not fall into sin.
Today, let’s pray that they revert back to their childhood days of building a wall of protection against the enemy, not with cushions and pillows, but with the mighty Word of God.
“Great peace have they who love Your law, and nothing can make them stumble.” Ps 119:165
“Heavenly Father, You are the Mighty Protector and the Great Defender. I pray that You would surround (name) today with a hedge of spiritual protection against the Enemy. Lord, let (name) be ever-mindful of You and Your Word. May it not just be something that is ‘familiar’ to them, but let Your word be light and life to them. May they look to You for their guidance and protection. May their first thought in the morning be You and their last in the evening as well. Lord, help (name) to keep their way pure- not hiding sin but translucent, allowing Your light to shine through them. Help them to be morally pure, not following after deception or evil but wholeheartedly following after You. Be their Keeper, Lord and may their life be full of peace because they love You completely. “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” (Jude 1:24-25, KJV)
Pray without ceasing, friends.
1. H2135 - zāḵâ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2135/niv/wlc/0-1//
2. H8104 - šāmar - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h8104/niv/wlc/0-1/
A Call to Parents: Encouraging Our Sons & Daughters
“For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.” 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12
We spend much time here at Join the PAC Prayer focusing on praying for our sons and daughters, but today we’re going to take a look at what God calls us to do as parents. What are we called to do? How can we do it well?
Paul wrote to the Thessalonians to encourage them in their faith. Throughout the first and second chapters, Paul urged them to remain true and faithful. He instructed them on how they should live and commended them for what they did well. In chapter two, he explained his ministry motives along with those of Silas and Timothy and the nature of their instruction. Then he gave the statement in verses 11-12 and it’s here we need to pause and take time to ponder because Paul explained three key actions that exemplify how a father (a parent) should deal with his children, “For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.”
Let’s dig deep and get a better understanding of what God encourages us to do as parents.
Encouraging: Parakaleo
The first thing Paul mentioned is that he, Silas and Timothy were encouraging the believers. The Greek word for encouraging is parakaleo. It means to call near or call to one’s side; to exhort, console and comfort; to strengthen and instruct; it means to call in a loud voice; it’s not a silent, behind-the-scenes cheering on (1).
There is more to encouraging our sons and daughters than just saying “Good job! I knew you could do it!” The word ‘parakaleo’ comes from two root words, ‘para’, meaning beside or near, having proximity to (2) and ‘kaleo’ which means to call by name (3). So when we’re encouraging our sons and daughters, we need to call them near, call them by name, take time to be present and to teach and comfort them. We must be focused on them, and strengthen them in those things that are uniquely their own needs- it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. It’s personal. It requires our presence and our mindfulness towards them so that we’re focused and our encouragement stems from knowledge of the individual son or daughter and knowledge from Scripture.
Like a paramedic is a medical professional who comes near to the patient, calls them by name and tends to their needs, our encouragement must be parakaleo, near our sons and daughters, calling them by name and meeting their needs to encourage them to walk faithfully, understand God’s word accurately and remain true to their faith and commitment to God.
Comforting: Paramytheomai
The next thing Paul mentions is comfort. The Greek word for the act of comforting is paramytheomai, which means “to speak to, address one, whether by way of admonition and incentive, or to calm and console” (4). It’s another form of encouragement. Note the prefix ‘para’ is once again a part of the word. It requires coming alongside of another to accomplish the purpose at hand. Paramytheomai means we need to be present and choose to be near, whether in person or, if that’s not possible, in communication and prayer. It’s an active role and not just that of an observer. The other portion of the word, ‘mytheomai’ means to speak, tell a story, a narrative. Often this word was applied to the sharing of genealogies in Biblical times. Consider what is your family’s story and how your sons and daughters could learn from it. Some questions to consider:
What is the heritage that undergirds your family?
What stories of faith are held forth?
What mistakes were made that should not be repeated?
Maybe the heritage of faith began with you … How did you come to know Jesus and begin a personal relationship with Him?
How can your sons and daughters carry on the Godly legacy?
How can you comfort them with lessons from the past and encourage them to be true to God into the future?
Comfort and encouragement can come through the stories of others and out of our own experiences. Those stories should be carried and shared by parents to their children to stand as encouragement and be cautionary as well.
Urging: Martyomai
Finally, Paul urged the Thessalonians to live a life worthy of God. The word used for urging is ‘martyomai’, which means “to be a witness, testify, charge or give evidence, bear record.” (5) Yes, it is related to the word ‘martyr’, describing those who gave their life for their faith. They bore witness and held fast to the testimony of Christ, even to the end. Paul urged, testified and bore witness to the Thessalonians in an effort to encourage them and teach them to hold fast to their faith.
The root word is martys means “one who is mindful, obeys”. (6) It’s not only what Paul wanted the Thessalonians to do, but it was what he held fast to as he lived out his testimony before them. And it’s what we need to do as parents. We need to demonstrate obedience to God and be mindful of what He calls us to do so that our words and actions testify faithfulness to Him to our sons and daughters.
The encouragement, the comfort and the urging are all directed toward helping our sons and daughters live wisely and follow Christ faithfully, or as the King James Version says, “that ye would walk worthy of God” who calls them into His kingdom. Isn’t that one of our most fervent prayers for our sons and daughters? We want them to live a life that acts as an example to others that we are Kingdom bound, sons and daughters of the Most High, His heirs and dearly loved children.
But what does it mean to “walk worthy of God”? The word for walk in Greek is peripateo and it means “to occupy oneself, make progress and follow; to make one’s way and make use of opportunities.” (7) It’s more than just heading in a direction. It’s being cognizant of where one is going, making use of opportunities along the way and always being mindful of whom you are following and the direction in which you are headed. The prefix, peri, comes from a root word, peran, which means, “beyond, on the other side.” (8) It’s directional and locational. It indicates that this walk is more than just a stroll. It’s purposeful. It has a specific destination. It requires mindful participation.
But here’s the powerful part: the remainder of the word, pateo, has a profound meaning. Let’s look at the original wording from Strong’s Concordance. Pateo means, “to advance by setting foot upon, tread upon; to encounter successfully the greatest perils from the machinations and persecutions with which Satan would fain thwart the preaching of the gospel.”(9) Wow!! When we pray for our sons and daughters to walk worthy of God, we’re praying that they will encounter successfully the greatest perils, deceptions, schemes of Satan and will overcome! We pray that they will live out and speak the gospel in ways that will defeat Satan and his demons and will overcome the ‘dangers, toils and snares’ of this life because they’re directionally moving toward the ‘other side’- the Kingdom of God…and Satan will do anything and everything to keep them from it.
These two verses are so rich and so powerful!! It would be beneficial for us to meditate on these Scriptures this week as we pray for our sons and daughters. He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. We have the power of the Eternal God within reach. He hears the cry of His children and He does not let it go unanswered. Take time today to pray for encouragement, for comfort and to urge this next generation to live victoriously. Why not write these verses down and carry them with you this week, memorize them and meditate on them, they are powerful directives and timeless truths and God can and will use them mightily.
Pray without ceasing.
G3870 - parakaleō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3870/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G3844 - para - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3844/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G2564 - kaleō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2564/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G3888 - paramytheomai - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3888/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G3143 - martyromai - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3143/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G3144 - martys - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3144/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G4043 - peripateō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4043/kjv/tr/0-1/
G4012 - peri - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4012/kjv/tr/0-1/
G3961 - pateō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3961/kjv/tr/0-1/