How do you and your family pray? How often do you pray? I must confess, dear ladies, that it surprises me how little God’s people are praying at this time. How can that be? We are facing lockdowns, vaccine mandates, and tyranny. And still the church of God isn’t calling for prayer meetings and crying out to God? What must yet happen before God gets our attention?Of course, it starts in the home. The church will never be a praying church until we are praying families. In the New Testament I find six ways God wants to pray.
1. FERVENTLY
God not only wants us to pray, but to pray fervently. Epaphras “labored fervently” in prayer for the Colossian believers (Colossians 4:12). This word means to “contend for the victory, to fight, to wrestle.” What kind of praying do you do in your family? Do you pray fervently? That means fighting against the devil and all evil. Are you teaching your children pray this way? They learn to pray from you.
James 5:16: “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
AMPC: “The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available (dynamic in its working).”
TPT: “Tremendous power is released through the passionate, heartfelt prayer of a godly believer!”
2. BELIEVINGLY
God wants us to pray believingly. Read Matthew 21:22 and Mark 11:23, 24.
3. CONTINUALLY
God wants us to pray continually. Colossians 4:2 tell us to: “Continue in prayer.” The word “continue” is “proskartero” and means “to be devoted to prayer, to continue steadfastly, to keep persisting, keep persevering, earnestly and unwearied.”
It’s easy to give up on prayer, isn’t it? But Romans 12:12 (NLT) admonishes us to “Keep on praying” and 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT) tells us to NEVER STOP PRAYING.” Never give up, no matter how bleak the situation. Do you have a loved one who is not walking with God? They can never get away from your persistent and continual prayers.
Read these examples: Luke 21:36; Acts 1:14; 2:42; 6:4; Romans 12:12; Ephesians 1:16; 6:18; Colossians 1:3, 9; 4:2, 12; 1 Thessalonians 3:10; 5:17; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; and 2 Timothy 1:3.
4. EARNESTLY
God wants us to pray earnestly. Read James 5:17.
5. EXCEEDINGLY
God wants us to pray exceedingly.
1 Thessalonians 3:10: “Night and day praying exceedingly.” The word “exceedingly” is the Greek word “perissos” and means “exceeding some number or measure, over and above, more than is necessary, much more than all, surpassing the ordinary.”
Are you praying beyond the normal? Are you gathering your family together morning and evening to cry out to God for this nation and the nations of the world? Have you thought of having a prayer meeting in your home and inviting others to come in and pray with you? We have never been without a corporate prayer meeting in our home.
When we have prayer meetings in our home, we always include the children. We don’t even send the little ones off to bed but encourage them to be part of it. My husband usually says to the children: “Alright children, you can all pay first before you go off to sleep.” So the children will often be the first to pray and gradually they begin to fall of to sleep as the pray3er meeting continues.
6. PERSEVERINGLY
God wants us to pray perseveringly (Ephesians 6:18). We won’t change the world praying little prayers now and then. We change the world by being committed to prayer, wrestling in prayer, persevering in prayer, and pouring out our hearts in prayer. We do it personally. We do it as a family each day, teaching our children how to cry out to God and intercede in prayer. And we do it corporately, gathering in others to pray with us.
Let’s become praying families.
Praying families are nation changing families.
Praying families are world changing families.
Be encouraged.
Nancy Campbell
818 Hits
It is wonderful to read Scriptures about the tender mercies of God. It reveals His character to us. I read another one this morning in Psalm 25:6: “Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lobvingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.”
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1 John 5:19 (ESV): "The whole world lies in the power of the evil one." If this world is in the grip of the evil one, how do we live without getting pulled into its grip? How do we keep our children from its control? We've got to swim upstream.
Your baby will be impacted by your attitudes while in the womb. Embrace your precious baby to your heart from the moment you are aware and begin praying prayers of blessings and protection and God’s anointing on your baby.
When Pearl and Evangeline or I have a birthday, our favorite gift is to receive a surprise from Serene. No, it’s not something from the shop! We love it when she makes one of her great concoctions--something that no one has ever tasted before.
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I love these words. We don’t trust when it is easy but when it is the hardest thing of all. And we always find that God is faithful. His everlasting arms are waiting underneath us.
A daycare worker was sharing with me that they take in babies from six weeks old. And yet dog breeders do not sell their puppies until eight weeks and up to 12 weeks for toy breeds. How is that human mothers can give up their babies so soon? What has happened to the value of mothering? This worker also mentioned that many mothers never even check to find out when their baby or toddler slept or what food they were given for the day or when. Where is their concern and yearning over their child?
Isn’t it so wonderful that the Bible uses the same Hebrew word to describe the womb of the woman as God’s tender mercies and compassion? As you embrace life in your woman you are showing the love and and mercy of God. As a mother comforts her babe so God comforts and consoles in all our adversities.
I love Thy kingdom, Lord!
Do you love showing hospitality?
The nurturing, cherishing, teaching, training, influencing, and the powerful prayers of a mother can never be underestimated. Your influence is powerful, dear mother.
God created male and female. He has no other plan.
Every new baby that is born into the world reveals again the existence of God.
...is a powerful thing. It keeps the world going. It brings security. It reaps the reward of those who are faithful in the little things. Be encouraged today, mother.
Some time ago, my husband was at the bank and got talking to the teller (he loves to talk to people). The lady asked what he did, and he replied that he was a pastor and that we also we speak and write about strengthening families. She proceeded to tell him a little story.