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

Day 17: His Relationships

The righteous should choose his friends carefully,

but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

- Proverbs 12:26

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As iron sharpens iron,

so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

- Proverbs 27:17

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Ointment and perfume delight the heart,

and the sweetness of a man's friend does so by hearty counsel.

- Proverbs 27:9

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Lord, I pray for my husband to have good, godly male friends with whom he can openly share his heart. May they be trustworthy men of wisdom who will speak truth into his life and not just say what he wants to hear (Proverbs 28:23). Give him the discernment to separate himself from anyone who will not be a good influence (I Corinthians 5:13). Show him the importance of godly friendships and help me encourage him to sustain them. Give us believing married couples with whom we can feel comfortable sharing our lives.
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I pray for strong, peaceful relationships with each of his family members, neighbors, acquaintances, and coworkers. Today I specifically pray for his relationships with his new coworkers (name your person here). Inspire open communication and mutual acceptance between them. Let there be reconciliation where there has been estrangement. Work peace into anything that needs to be worked out.
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I pray that in his heart he will honor his father and mother so that he will live long and be blessed in his life (Exodus 20:12). Enable him to be a forgiving person and not carry grudges or hold things in his heart against others. Lord, You've said in Your Word that "he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes" (I John 2:11). I pray that my husband would never be blinded by the darkness of unforgiveness, but continually walk in the light of forgiveness. May he not judge or show contempt for anyone but remember that "we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ" (Romans 14:10). Enable him to love his enemies, bless those who curse him, do good to those who hate him, and pray for those who spitefully use him and persecute him (Matthew 5:44). I pray that I will be counted as his best friend and that our friendship with one another will continue to grow. Show him what it means to be a true friend and enable him to be one.* In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
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Let us consider one another in order to stir up love

and good works,

not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,

as is the manner of some,

but exhorting one another.

- Hebrews 10:24-25

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If we walk in the light

as He is in the light,

we will have fellowship with one another.

- I John 1:7

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*Make this prayer your own! From the book, The Power of a Praying Wife. Ordering information is at the bottom of the page.
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Today's prayer for your children: Staying Attracted to Holiness and Purity
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Day Six: Honoring Parents and Resisting Rebellion

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

Honor your father and mother,

which is the first commandment with promise:

that it may be well with you and

you may live long on this earth.

- Ephesians 6:1-3

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Woe to the rebellious children who take counsel, but not of Me,

and who devise plans, but not of My Spirit,

that they may add sin to sin.

- Isaiah 30:1

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Lord, I pray that You would give David and Elizabeth hearts that desire to obey You. Put into them a longing to spend time with You, in Your Word and in prayer, listening to Your voice. Shine Your light upon any secret or unseen rebellion that is taking root in their hearts, so that it can be identified and destroyed. Lord, I pray that they will not give themselves over to pride, selfishness and rebellion, but that they will be delivered from it.

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By the authority You've given me in Jesus' name, I "stand against the wiles of the devil" and I resist idolatry, rebellion, stubbornness and disrespect; they will have no part in my son's & daughter's lives, nor will my child walk in a path of destruction and death because of them.

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Your Word instructs, "Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord" (Colossians 3:20). I pray that You would turn the heart of these children toward their parents and enable them to honor and obey father and mother so that their lives will be long and good. Turn their hearts toward You so that all they do is pleasing in Your sight. May they learn to identify and confront pride and rebellion in themselves and be willing to confess and repent it. Make them uncomfortable with sin. Help them to know the beauty and simplicity of walking with a sweet and humble spirit in obedience and submission to You. In Jesus' name, Amen.*

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*Make this prayer your own! From the book, The Power of a Praying Parent. Ordering information is found at the bottom of this page.