21 Days of Prayer for your Kids

Totally stolen from Pastor Mario Baizon’s blog (Living Faith Christian Fellowship – a New Life Church)

Join with us and many couples in LFCF in taking the challenge to pray for our children using the 7 Absolutes To Pray Over Your Kids (model prayer).

What is the 21 Day Prayer Challenge? It is a prayer movement to stir the hearts of the parents toward their children and realized God’s promises given to our children by praying for them regularly and consistently. To learn and understand more about this movement please listen to the message and get a copy of 7 Absolutes Prayer Over Our Kids model prayer in our website at www.livingf8.com

7 ABSOLUTES TO PRAY FOR OVER YOUR KIDS
BY BLAINE BARTEL

1. PRAYER FOR WISDOM
Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank You for giving our children a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You. We believe that their heads are covered with the helmet of salvation, and that they have the mind of our Lord Jesus Christ. We pray that our children will make intelligent, informed, and Spirit-inspired decisions today and every day. Father, please give them supernatural discernment and godly evaluation of every situation they encounter. And surround them with counselors who abide in Your Word and walk according to Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

2. PRAYER FOR PROTECTION
Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank You for our kids, and we pray that You would be their refuge and fortress, that their protection would be in You. We pray that no evil will come upon them. Neither will any sickness, evil, or calamity come near their dwelling. Thank You for commissioning Your angels to guard, to protect, and to defend them from all harm. We pray that no weapon that is designed against them will succeed, and every tongue that would rise against them will be silenced. Great will be their peace and undisturbed composure because their righteousness is from You. We thank You for Your delivering hand of protection in whatever challenge or attack they face. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

3. PRAYER FOR FAVOR
Father in the name of Jesus we believe that our children are blessed of You, that they are surrounded with Your favor as a shield. We believe that Your face shines upon them, that You are gracious to them in all circumstances. We thank You for nurturing Your face to them whenever they call Your name, that they have Your full attention and assistance in all situations. We pray that throughout the day people in their lives will predisposed to want to bless and encourage them. We pray that they will enjoy unusual cooperation and overwhelming goodwill in all their activities. We thank You that they will walk in favor with You, shining the light of the gospel into others’ lives and therefore be complemented with favor and promotion from others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

4. PRAYER FOR BOLDNESS
Father, in the name of Jesus we pray that You will give each one of our kids a spirit of boldness as they walk with You. We pray that the power of the Holy Spirit will rise up within them to be witnesses for Jesus Christ in all they do. We pray that they will never be ashamed of the gospel, but they will realize it is Your power working in their salvation, as well as the salvation of hurting people. We thank You that they don’t operate with fear, intimidation, or apprehension. Instead, they are as bold as lions, possessing strength, confidence, and steadfast minds and hearts. We thank You, Father, for Your love toward us and our kids, that Your love never fails, and that Your love transforms our kids into powerful, bold witnesses for Jesus Christ and Your kingdom. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

5. PRAYER FOR STRENGTH
Father in the name of Jesus we ask You to strengthen our kids with extraordinary might in their inner man. Fill them with the revelation of Your love for them, that they will trust You to lead them and guide them in whatever circumstances they face. As they go into this evil world and encounter temptation to sin from their flesh or the enemy, give them that supernatural power of grace to resist and overcome temptation. We pray that they will always be dressed in Your armor, Father, to stand against all the wiles of the extinguish every fiery dart of the devil. Remind them that with every temptation they face, You will provided a way to escape. We pray and believe that they will see that way of escape and prove to be more than conquerors in Your name. Thank You that today and every day their hearts and minds are focused on Jesus, the author and finisher of their faith, and they walk steadfastly in Your Word and by the leading of Your Holy Spirit. We praise You and thank You for their great victories over temptation! In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

6. PRAYER TO FIND AND FULFILL THEIR ASSIGNMENT
Father, we thank You for blessing our kids and empowering them to do the right things, to find their gifts and assignments from heaven. We pray that the unique abilities You have placed in them will make room for them and bring them before the great leaders of our day. We pray that they will walk in accuracy and obedience to accomplish Your perfect will for their lives. We know that You have given them a holy and distinct calling, and that You will reveal the specific steps they are to take in fulfilling that call. Help them to faithfully develop their talents and their gifts in such a way that will place them in high regard and great demand in this world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

7. PRAYER FOR FUTURE MATE
Father in the name of Jesus, we pray for the right mate for each our children and for the kids in our life, that they will marry in the right time and in the right way. We pray that You will cultivate and mature the love of God in their lives. Thank You for Your love, which abides and grows in their hearts by the Holy Spirit. We pray for that love to become apparent in their thoughts and actions daily. We pray that they will learn to esteem each other above themselves, to be composed, generous, truthful, and honorable in all they say and do. We thank You that they will be like Aquila and Priscilla, powerful partners in ministry. We pray that their courtship and engagement will be marked by poise and purity, and that their marriage will be tied and orchestrated in You. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

PRAYER FOR SON OR DAUGHTER WHO ARE NOT BORN AGAIN OR NOT SERVING THE LORD.

Father in the mighty name of Jesus, we pray for our [kid’s name], who is out in the world and not serving You. We pray that You will bring them from the land of the enemy back into Your family. We thank You that we have the hope that their future is in You because You are bringing them into the borders of Your kingdom.
In the name of Jesus, we command Satan and all his demons to take their hands off of them, that the blinders will come off their eyes and they will see the truth of the Word of God. We pray for them to see the goodness of God unto salvation and pray for laborers to cross their path.
Thank You, Father that they will see Jesus as their Savior and their Lord. They will know how much You love them, how good You are, and that You have a great life for them. Through the eyes of faith we see them saved, healed, delivered, and set free. We see them loving You and serving You joyfully and faithfully in the body of Christ. We see them in church, and we see them living a righteous life. We will not weep or worry any longer because Your Word will not come back void, but it will accomplish Your purpose in their life. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Great Thoughts on Genuine Discipleship

One of my sources for though-provoking articles on Christianity is internetmonk.com.  I won’t say that I agree with everything they’ve written, but I have thoroughly enjoyed the food for thought!

Recently Chaplain Mike posted a great article on the process of discipleship (CLICK HERE FOR THE ENTIRE ARTICLE)  and how it reminds him too often of the processes he sees on the little league fields.  ”Chaplain Mike” says:

As I stood there in the third bases coaching box, watching one of our young hitters at bat, it suddenly hit me how loud it was. The kids in the field were chanting in chorus, “Hey batter, batter! Hey batter, batter! Hey batter, batter, SWING!” Our team in the dugout raised their own cry, “Here we go, Johnny, here we go (clap, clap)!” Three or four coaches were yelling encouragement and instruction. “Get a rip, Johnny!” “Johnny, back off the plate!” “Get your bat up!” “Watch the ball now!” “Level swing!” Johnny’s parents and other team parents were in on the act too, of course. “C’mon Johnny! Remember how we practiced it! Get your elbow up! Keep your eye on the ball! Let’s go, Johnny! You can do it!” Between pitches, even the coach on the other team, who was standing behind the catcher to help keep the game moving along, would walk up and help our hitter stand himself correctly in the box and hold his bat in proper position.

With each pitch, the cacophony restarted. When Johnny hit the ball, everyone screamed, “Run! Run!” And then a chorus of admonition rose like a wave from the other team’s bench and stands. “Catch the ball, Billy!” “First base, first base!” “Watch the runner going to third!” “Don’t hang on to the ball, throw it!” “Tag him, Mark!”

Mostly, the kids just played while everyone else was yelling for them and at them. It seemed to me that only a small percentage of what was screamed in their direction was heard. They simply tuned it out. Whether the coaches and their parents liked it or not, the players reverted to their own habits and did it their way. A number of them have shown progress by steps over the course of the year, but rarely do you see them alter their stance or do something dramatically different in the midst of a single game.

And suddenly I thought of something else about the contemporary church.

And how we are supposedly trying to help people be like Jesus and follow Jesus.

And it hit me that what we usually do is yell at them and expect them to perform.

This is the evangelical church. It’s ballyard religion.

A new believer comes up to the plate and we yell encouragement and instruction to him.

• Read your Bible!
• Pray every day!
• Make sure you’re in church each Sunday!
• Take our discipleship training course!
• Become a member of the church!
• Get involved and get busy serving the Lord!
• Be generous with your money! Give to the church!
• Discover your spiritual gifts!
• Have a heart for missions!
• Take a stand on the important cultural issues of the day!
• (Pick one:) Husbands, love your wives! Wives, submit to your husbands! Children, obey your parents!
• Become a member of a small group!
• Listen to Christian music!
• Go to this special conference we’re holding!

Every time a believer goes to church, attends a small group or Bible study, turns on Christian media, walks into a Christian bookstore, reads a Christian magazine or goes to an online Christian site, attends a Christian conference or concert, or gets together with evangelical friends at a coffee shop, it seems like the conversation is about what we should be doing, what our church should be doing, what Christians should be doing. What book we should be reading. What seminar we should be attending. What Bible study we should participate in. What concert is coming to town. What friends we should be praying for. What political decision is proof positive that America has finally departed completely from God and is going to hell in a hand basket, and what we should do about it.

The pastor is telling me to keep my eye on the ball. My Bible study leader is challenging me to keep a level swing. Various program leaders in the church are saying, “Run! Run!” Leading evangelical spokespersons are telling me I’m doing it wrong and I need to adjust my stance, get my hands up, and step toward the pitcher when I swing.

Everybody is telling me what to do. At the same time. With urgency.

The article goes on to address the needs Christians really have in regard to day to day discipleship:

I’m convinced evangelicalism has a poor understanding of the processes that lead to true spiritual formation in Christ. We don’t need a ballyard full of people yelling out in a cacophonous chorus of encouragement and instruction. We need pastors who visit us and help us know Jesus better. We need friends who let us be ourselves and patiently walk with us in our journeys. We need mentors who will model the way and take us under their wings. We need spiritual directors who will patiently teach us to listen to the quiet voice of the Spirit. We need to learn spiritual practices that will form us and shape us into the image of Jesus.

We need quiet. And slow. And personal. One voice at a time. Face to face. Unhurried conversations. Time. Patience. A willingness to make mistakes, and a willingness to let others do the same. Small victories. Miniscule changes. Moments of connection.

And it all needs to happen in the context of day to day life, because when it comes to faith, that’s where the game is played.

My own experiences echoes these thoughts and takes me to a place of yearning for genuine relationships based on genuine love for God and for others.  Relationships that care about the real development of the soul and about authentic life-transformation.  My prayer is that God will grant us grace to discover the ways to help believers grow deeply in Him.

Making Disciples – Part 1

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)

The command of God on His church is to make disciples who are observing all that Jesus commanded.  What is it about discipleship that keeps us from reaching the “observe” point, and are there steps we can take to intentionally and proactively move toward a model of genuine discipleship?  I believe there is … and it comes as we acknowledge that:

1. Genuine Discipleship is non-linear and is “tailor made” to the disciple.
2. Genuine Discipleship takes time and happens while we live our “normal lives”
3. Classroom discipleship has it’s place, but can be very limited in effectiveness if not partnered with “real life” experience.

Recently I shared a message dealing with “SMART DISCIPLESHIP GOALS”.  I shared the message because a week before I had taken the church through an exercise to hear individually what God was saying and to make an “action step” from what He seemed to be calling each of them to.  While many of the steps were very practical, the truth is that many of them were general and very difficult to measure.  In other words, it would have been difficult to tell whether we had actually “succeeded” in implementing the God-change in our lives based on the statement.

While setting “SMART” goals can make discipleship practical, I also referenced material from Lawrence Richards’ book “Creative Bible Teaching” in which he lays out 5 steps to what he calls “Realization”, or the practical implementation of truth being learned.  His steps are listed as:

1. Rote
2. Recognition
3. Restatement
4. Relation
5. Realization

Over the next days and weeks, I’d like to take these 5 steps, and boil them down to 4 steps which each of us can use as tools for evaluating our own “observance” of Jesus’ commands, as well as tools for helping those we are discipling to see the truth of God’s Word become action and faith in our own lives.

I’ll also share some of the dangers for Christians who get bogged down in one of the steps before Realization.  What does it look like if we are “Rote” believers only?  How can we guard against being hearers of the Word only?

I hope you’ll join in the conversation (leave comments) and that God will use this exercise to help us all become better disciples and disciple makers.