June 13 - Nothing like family...gotta love them!

It's been said that the only relative you get to pick is your spouse.  Everyone else is either born to you, you're born to or they're part of the family because of someone else...you didn't get a say-so in the matter.  It's probably for the best because if you're like me, you would probably not be related to some of your kinfolk.

The people closest to us are always the ones that hurt us most and it's because we give them so much of our love, time and space.  We trust them, we sow into them, we help them, but is it out of love or obligation?  If it's out of love; it should be unconditional, without strings or record.  If it's out of obligation, we're only setting ourselves up for drama and pain.  The best thing to do is to pray that God give you the capacity to love as He loves.  Think about the fact that God knew how the world would treat His son and yet He still sent His son to die for us while we were yet sinners. 

Heavenly Father, forgive us for not loving one another as true brothers and sisters.  Help us to realize that our children learn how to treat one another by what they see us doing.  Thank you for reminding us that we are to serve You and strive to do your will, especially to the family You've given us.  Your words says that we will be "betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.  Everyone will hate you because of me.  But not a hair of your head will perish.  Stand firm, and you will win life (Luke 21:16-19).   We declare that we will do better and our children will not witness or be sucked into dysfunction.  In Jesus name, Amen!

April 28

Lord, teach my child to resolve misunderstandings according to Your word.  And if any division has already begun, if any relationship is already strained or severed, Lord, I pray that You will drive out the wedge of division and bring healing.  Give him/her a heart of forgiveness and reconciliation.  (Power of a Praying Parent, Stormie Omartian)

The best way to teach our children about forgiveness is to model it!  Whewww, CONVICTION!!While a lot of us would like to rip out every scripture pertaining to forgiveness of our enemies; the bottom line is God forgives us, so we must forgive others. 

When someone wrongs our children, we want them held accountable.  OK, I'm just going to speak for myself; I want to deal with them according to my not-so-lovingkindness!  Nevertheless, as we grow and mature in Christ, we ought to resolve misunderstandings according to God's word.  If it means he/she must humble themselves and apologize for the sake of the relationship; it's not important to be right so much as it is important to be righteous.  Our children should be able to "extend the olive branch", because of the branch (cross) that Jesus died upon.  The great thing about forgiveness and reconciliation is that it's more for the forgiver than the one forgiven.  Once we seek resolution for a situation and forgive regarding the matter; we are free to heal. 

Heavenly Father, it's important that we operate in forgiveness.  We know that just as Your forgive us, so we ought also, to forgive others.  Let us show and teach our children early, that the sooner he/she can forgive and move on; the sooner the healing process can begin.  Lord, show my child(ren) that it may also be necessary to end some relationships in lieu of trying to continue them...especially if the relationship is doing more harm than good!  The bible says, "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."  Our prayer is that our children will live peaceably so that goodness and mercy shall follow them all the days of their lives.  In Jesus name, Amen!

April 25 - TURN THAT PLATE DOWN!!!

What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling?  This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me.  ⁵ You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind.  You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with ashes.  Is this what you call fasting?  Do you really think this will please the Lord?   ⁶ “No, this is the kind of fasting I want:  Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you.  Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people.  ⁷ Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless.  Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.  ⁸ “Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal.  Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.  ⁹ Then when you call, the Lord will answer.  ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.

“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression.  Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors!
¹⁰ Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble.  Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.  ¹¹ The Lord will guide you continually,
giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength.  You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.  ¹² Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities.
Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls and a restorer of homes.  (Isaiah 58:4-12, NLT)

 

The King James version records the last part of verse 12 as "The repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to dwell in".  It means to "fortify with a wall, to wall around".  Can you see the visual of that verse?!?!!  When we pray and fast, the power of our prayers is like building a wall around the object of our prayers.  When we pray and fast, we build a wall around our spouse, our children, our communities, our schools.  There is truly power in prayer and God's word has documented the outcome of true prayer and worship through fasting.  God wants us to operate in knowledge of His word and repair breached relationships, restore homes and rebuild communities.  "When there is true love for God and sincere concern for the welfare of others, a channel is opened for God's full blessing to come into our lives."  (Full Life Study Bible, Study Notes)

 

Lord what an honor and privilege to be entrusted with the power of prayer and the Holy Spirit.  We thank you for Your word that leads, guides and directs us.  Strengthen our prayer life to include fasting and true love for one another.  Let us not pray out of obligation, but help us to lift one another in sincere intercession.  All the enemy needs is a crack to get in, so Lord we ask that You reveal to us each and every breach and just as You said in Your word, we will repair them!!!  Unlike most things that are never the same once they're compromised; we declare that once the breach is repaired; it will be completely renewed and restored...as if it never suffered a break.    In Jesus name, Amen!

 

 

April 20

When you cover your family relationships in prayer, whether it be with children, parents, stepparents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, husband or wife, there will be far fewer instances of strained or severed relationships.  (Power of a Praying Parent, Stormie Omartian)

A few years back we studied a book at church titled "The 11th Commandment: Experiencing the One Anothers of Scripture" by Don McMinn.  The book delves into what the author penned as the eleventh commandment, along with some additional 'one anothers'.  Jesus said, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:34-35).   The Full Life Study Bible, Study Notes says:

The Christian is commanded to love, in a greater and special way, all true Christians, whether or not they are members of one's own church or followers of one's particular theological persuasion.  (1) Believers must distinguish true Christians from those whose profession is false by examining their love for and obedience to Jesus Christ and their loyalty to God's holy word.  (2) Any person who possesses a living faith in Jesus Christ and remains loyal to God's inspired and inerrant Word as he or she sincerely understands it, while standing against the prevailing popular spirit of our day is my brother or sister in Christ and one who deserves my special love and support.
 

Loving true Christians, in theory, is not hard because we should all be on one accord.  And even if we're not, we have prayer, forgiveness, grace and mercy to get us back on track.  The true challenge comes, as Ms. Omartian mentioned, in those familial relationships.  Oftentimes, those closest to us are the ones that hurt us the most.  The very people that know us intricately, are the same ones that can betray us intensely.  Those that have known us all our lives are quick to remind us of our past, but Paul reminds us to forget those things which are behind us and press toward the prize that is in Christ Jesus.  When we cover our family relationships in prayer, loving those closest to us may be a little easier.

Lord, help us to love one another as You have commanded.  Let us seek the good in others, even when we're not necessarily afforded the same.  Teach us how to pray for those that despitefully use us and forgive so that we are forgiven.  If there are any strained or severed relationships in our lives, we pray that You open the door for reconciliation and healing and help us to walk through it!  Help us be obedient to Your command that we love one another, not just in word but also in deed.  In Jesus name, Amen!