Day 18: His Fatherhood

Whoever curses his father or his mother,

his lamp will be put out in deep darkness.

- Proverbs 20:20

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Lord, teach my husband to be a good father. Where is was not modeled to him according to Your ways, heal those areas and help him to forgive his dad. Give him revelation of You and a hunger in his heart to really know You as his heavenly Father. Draw him close to spend time in Your presence so he can become more like You, and fully understand Your Father's heart of compassion and love toward him. Grow that same heart in him for his children. Help him to balance mercy, judgement, and instruction the way You do. Though You require obedience, You are quick to acknowledge a repentant heart. Make him that way, too. Show him when to discipline and how. Help him to see that he who loves his child disciplines him promptly (Proverbs 13:24). May he never provoke his "children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). I pray we will be united in the rules we set for our children and be in full agreement as to how they are raised. I pray that there will be no strife or argument over how to handle them and the issues that surround their lives.
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Give him skills of communication with his children. I pray he will not be stern, hard, cruel, cold, abusive, non communicative, passive, critical, weak, uninterested, neglectful, undependable, or uninvolved. Help him instead to be kind, loving, soft-hearted, warm, interested, affirming, affectionate, involved, strong, consistent, dependable, verbally communicative, understanding, and patient. May he require and inspire his children to honor him as their father so that their lives will be long and blessed.
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Lord, I know we pass a spiritual inheritance to our children. Let the heritage he passes on be one rich in the fullness of Your Holy Spirit. Enable him to model clearly a walk of submission to Your laws. May he delight in his children and long to grow them up Your way. Being a good father is something he wants very much. I pray that You would give him the desire of his heart.* In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
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Children's children are the crown of old men,

and the glory of children is their father.

- Proverbs 17:6

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The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,

and he who begets a wise child will delight in him.

- Proverbs 23:24

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I will be a Father to you,

and you shall be My sons and daughters,

says the Lord Almighty.

- II Corinthians 6:18

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*Make this prayer your own! From the book, The Power of a Praying Wife. Ordering information is found at the bottom of this page. Watch for a giveaway coming next week!
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Today's prayer for your children: Praying Through Your Child's Room