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Praying Marriages

021013AM Prayer-15 GDGW-33

RAISING GODLY FAMILIES

ONE PRAYER AT A TIME

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Praying Marriages

Paul distilled the life of a believer down to one word in 1st Thessalonians 1.10 – WAIT. We are waiting for Jesus, waiting for the Kingdom, waiting upon Him who loved us and loosed us from our sins. But what do we do while we wait? That is answered in 1st Thessalonians 5.17 “pray without ceasing”.

 

Parenting is life long. Praying keeps us on the front lines of our children’s lives – all through our lives. Successful parenting of a godly family only has two requirements: get started in prayer and never quit that praying.

 

Before we are parents we are praying, while we are up to our ears in those child filled years we are praying, and after they launch out into their own lives we are praying.

 

My philosophy of great parenting is that you raise a godly family – one prayer at a time.

 

Prayer is the key to raising, nurturing, and launching children that please the Lord. This morning is a practical, how to lesson in learning how to pray for our children.

 

WE MUST PRAY FOR REALITY IN THEIR SPIRITUAL LIFE:

  1. SEEING THEM GENUINELY SAVED.
  2. SEEING THEM LOVING GOD’S WORD.
  3. SEEING THEM LIVING IN VICTORY.
  4. SEEING THEM THINKING OF HEAVEN.
  5. SEEING THEM FINDING SIN REPULSIVE.
  6. SEEING THEM STAYING TENDER TOWARD GOD.

 

WE MUST PRAY FOR INTEGRITY IN THEIR PERSONAL LIFE:

  1. SEEING THEM MAINTAINING A CLEAR CONSCIENCE.
  2. SEEING THEM LEARNING TO STAND ALONE.
  3. SEEING THEM SEEKING TO STAY PURE.
  4. SEEING THEM CULTIVATING A SERVANT’S HEART.
  5. SEEING THEM NEVER BECOMING BITTER IN TRIALS.

 

WE MUST PRAY FOR STABILITY IN THEIR RELATIONAL LIFE

  1. SEEING THEM CULTIVATING A LOVE FOR THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
  2. SEEING THEM LEARNING TO TRUST GOD WITH HARD SITUATIONS AND NOT TO REBEL.
  3. SEEING THEM EACH LOVING THE WAY GOD MADE THEM AS MEN AND WOMEN.
  4. SEEING THEM WAITING TO MEET GOD’S CHOSEN LIFE PARTNER FOR THEM.

 

So, how do we pray for our children if we are parents? And how do we direct our lives if we are young people? And how do we live together if we are married today? Or what do we look for if we are single and waiting today? Here we go, into God’s Word to find all the answers from the Author and establisher of Marriage Himself. Let’s turn back to the 1st book of the Bible Genesis. As parents pray that your children:

 

  1. Pray that they FOLLOW GOD’S RULES FOR A WONDERFUL MARRIAGE. Genesis 2:18, And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Genesis 2:20 So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. Genesis 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. By the way a big part of the glue is the sexual intimacy marriage provides. Have you ever licked an envelope or pulled the sealer tape, sealed it and then remembered something else and unsealed it? It doesn’t work the second or third time does it? Don’t ruin the glue of your marriage by playing with it or you will find that you are not secure in your marriage, glued together as one. Your husband or wife should be the only person you have ever experienced physical intimacy with. The first one you have loved, touched, held, and seen in any intimate way. Anything less than that will spell woes, pains, troubles, and grief for a lifetime.
  2. Pray that they WANT A PURE HOME. Deuteronomy 6:7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. Deuteronomy 6:9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates; 6:14 You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are all around you; 7:25-26 You shall burn the carved images of their gods with fire; you shall not covet the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be snared by it; for it is an abomination to the Lord your God. 26 Nor shall you bring an abomination into your house, lest you be doomed to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest it and utterly abhor it, for it is an accursed thing. Psalm 106:35 But they mingled with the Gentiles And learned their works;
  3. Pray that they KEEP THEIR WORD.. Psalm 15:4 In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the Lord; He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
  4. Pray that they STAY MILES AWAY FROM THE WICKED PERSON OF PROVERBS. Proverbs 5:1-3 My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: 2 That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge. 3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as a honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:  Proverbs 7:1,10-11 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. 10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart. 11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
  5. Pray that they FOCUS ON LISTENING.Song of Solomon 2:14-15 “O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret places of the cliff, Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your face is lovely.” 15 Catch us the foxes, The little foxes that spoil the vines, For our vines have tender grapes.  James 1:19 So then my beloved brethren, let everyone be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath.
  6. Pray that they HAVE A PEACE FILLED LIFE. Isaiah 32:17 The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. Isaiah 57:20-21 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21 “There is no peace,” Says my God, “for the wicked.”
  7. Pray that they NEVER BREAK THEIR COVENANT WITH GOD. Malachi 2:14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
  8. Pray that they SPEND TIME WITH YOU. Mark 3:14 Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach,
  9. Pray that they CULTIVATE A SERVANT’S HEART. Mark 9:35 And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them,  “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” Mark 10:44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.
  10. Pray that they OBEY AND HONOR THEIR PARENTS. Luke 2:51-52 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
  11. Pray that they STAY FAITHFUL IN LITTLE THINGS. Luke 16:10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.
  12. Pray that they BECOME DISCIPLINED STEWARDS OF THEIR MONEY. Romans 13:8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
  13. Pray that they WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS. 1 Corinthians 11:1 Imitate me,  just as I also imitate Christ.
  14. Pray that they WANT AN ORDERLY LIFE. 1 Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
  15. Pray that they WANT A GODLY LIFE. Ephesians 4:26-27 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. James 3:15-16 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 1 Peter 3:7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
  16. Pray that they LOVE GOD’S WORD. Ephesians 5:26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
  17. Pray that they FOLLOW THE LORD. Philippians 3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example.
  18. Pray that they STAY FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE. 1 Timothy 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
  19. Pray that they STAY TRANSPARENT WITH YOU. James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
  20. Pray that they WANT TO UNDERSTAND YOU. 1 Peter 3:7a Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.  WANT TO HONOR YOU.  1 Peter 3:7b Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. WANT TO SHARE ALL OF LIFE.  1 Peter 3:7c Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. WANT TO PRAY.  1 Peter 3:7d Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

 

WE MUST PRAY FOR FINISHING WELL IN MINISTRY

  1. FINISHING WELL IN MINISTRY MEANS SEEING THEM CHOOSING TO NOT LOVE MONEY.
  • 1 Timothy 6:9-12 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (NKJV)
  • Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. (KJV)
  1. FINISHING WELL IN MINISTRY MEANS SEEING THEM CHOOSING A LIFE OF PERSONALLY KNOWING, SERVING, LOVING AND OBEYING THE LORD.
  • 1 Chronicles 28:9 ” As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. (NKJV)
  • 1 Chronicles 29:19 “And give my son Solomon a loyal heart to keep Your commandments and Your testimonies and Your statutes, to do all these things, and to build the temple for which I have made provision.” (NKJV)
  • 3 John 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. (KJV)

Slides


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