PRAYING FOR YOUR FAMILY

As a young boy I remember my mom often in her room, reading her Bible and praying for us. Because of that picture in my mind, I associated the Bible and prayer together.

When I met Patricia, we shared this common thread in our lives: that God had led us by specific words from scripture. Particular verses at specific times had given us clear direction. They had become sources of hope and promise for us. For example, Psalm 145 had been God’s solace to Patricia when she was praying about leaving her home and family in California and moving to Mobile, Alabama. John 15:16 had been God’s word to me about coming to Mobile. I wanted to associate with men who produced fruit that remains.

Neither of us realized that it would be in Mobile that we would meet, marry, and raise our family.

The scriptures gave us a focus for our prayers,
directed our obedience,
and determined our destiny.

For each of our children, we asked Jesus for a “life verse:” a verse of scripture that would be a theme of his/her life and a focus for us to pray for them. For example, Patrick’s life verse is John 10: 27, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” As we have prayed for Patrick through the years, this verse has given us focus.

How did we come up with these verses? We asked Jesus to guide us. We read. We listened. We discussed. We developed a growing awareness of a direction for our children. A couple of times, Patricia had a dream that gave us direction. We looked at several verses that might be possible choices. We chose in faith. This process was worth it for us and for each of our kids.
Many times, we have come back to those verses in our prayers, in our discussions with each other, and in our conversations with our children.

So take a big theme approach. Why did the Father give you children? For what purpose? If you have not gone through this exercise together, we highly recommend it. It will make you pray, it will help you pray. It is not a rifle-shot prayer: it is a big artillery prayer, a long-range launch. You must have those long-range launches to win the war of raising children in today’s world.

Whatever you do, pray for your children. . .
and pray with the Bible in your hand.

RELATIONSHIPS: Living out sacrificial love

1 John 3:16

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

Let’s face it:

Raising children may limit your social activities.

It will require going against the popular culture.

It may affect your bank account.

It will cut into your time tremendously.

It may limit your material possessions.

It may limit your ability to pursue some of your dreams.

PARENTING IS YOUR PRIMARY JOB . . . AND YOUR PRIMARY JOY!

James Dobson’s dad was a traveling evangelist with a slate booked for three years in advance. While away from home his wife called and said she needed help with the young teen James. Apparently, they had discussed this before. He closed his meetings in that town, came home, cancelled his bookings, and took a church as pastor so that he could be home with his teenaged son. Financially, it cost them tremendously, but James saw his own dad make him a priority; he focused on the family. Young James is now the founder and leader of the foremost family-based organization in the world, Focus on the Family.

Get this picture:

He saw his dad sacrifice for him.

He saw value in the home and family.

It shaped his own purpose.

It affected his view of the next generation, and

today he affects families throughout the world.

You lay down your lives for your children every day. Your sacrifices send a message to your children about the importance of the family. You walk it out, you demonstrate this day by day. You work through disagreements and struggles because you believe in a God-given future. That is your faith in operation.

As you do this, you create a background for children to grow up joyfully and securely. Do the kids realize it? Of course not. But they benefit from it. Faithful parents are weaving a fabric of culture that quietly builds the foundation for the lives of their children. Although we do not know what the future will be like, we do know that we can give our children the kind of foundation that prepares them for anything.

This is how God works, and He loves it when you do this for your children. In truth sacrifice is God-like, it is heroic. Moment after moment, day after day, month after month, year after year, you make the sacrifices that build lives, homes, culture, the very fabric of healthy society.

This is where God’s truth is learned, lived out, imitated, passed on. . . IN YOUR HOME!

1 Corinthians 15: 58

Therefore, my dear brothers (and sisters), stand firm.

Let nothing move you.

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,

because you know

that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Be engaged with your kids.

Play the games.

Attend their sports events.

Teach them how to cook or how to change a tire.

Listen, listen, and listen some more.

Your greatest ministry is in your home.