This morning was the first Monday of October and that makes it, “Man Up Monday.”
I love to get together with a large group of men who are serious about being godly leaders for the King!
This morning we talked about the first of 7 things every man needs to take serious if they want to be the man God called them to be…
Here’s the Reader’s Digest version…
1. Pray regularly
I’m talking all day long. You don’t need to throw a rug on the ground and face east 6 times a daythat’s man madenevertheless, you can talk with God all day. And as you do, you should not hesitate to bring every desire, concern, dream, about your child or your life (marriage) to God in fervent, persistant prayer.
Luke 18: 1-8 contains a great parable, a great story about persistent prayer that must be told just for parents of teenagers.
1And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought(A) always to pray and not(B) lose heart. 2He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who(C) neither feared God nor respected man. 3And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself,(D) ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.'” 6And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7And(E) will not God give justice to(F) his elect,(G) who cry to him day and night?(H) (I) Will he delay long over them? 8I tell you, he will give justice to them(J) speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes,(K) will he find faith on earth?”
But some of us throw a 30 second prayer up to God and then get all mad because He doesn’t part the heaven with an answer in less than that amount of time! But why would He? You’re not showing Him you love Him! You’re not chasing after Him, trying to get to know Him better! He’s a genie to you and you only want him to bail you out than leave you alone!
But men? I’m going to go ahead and assume that most of you are following the 100 days boot camp prayer and you are already seeing that there is so much more to a relationship with God then bless this meal to our bodies as you and your family chow down on your Big-Macks!
Ok? So I say to you all that two of the best times to pray with your kids are, on the way to school in the morning (providing you drive them) and at bed timeregardless of age. We live about 10 miles from the kids school, and I drive them to school most days. Every morning we pray about things most important to the kids–not really about me, but about them and their lives…tests, friends, teachers, peer pressure, etc. And we usually conclude the same way–by asking God to keep them from evil and to make them mighty influences for Him!
Bedtime prayers are even more important because it’s a time to get with each one of my kids and pray about more specific issues to each. And no matter how old they get, it’s a great time to hug them and tell them for the thousandth time that day how much I love them but that God loves them even more!
2. Pray Offensively
Before your child even hits adolescence, pray for his or her peer group–that he will have at least one strong Christian buddy for the teenage years. Ask God to protect your child daily from others who would be an evil influence. Also, and I really want you to hone in on this one–ask God to help you spot your child doing things right so that you can encourage him in making right choices!
3. Pray Defensively
Are your kids hanging around with others who you know are a wrong influence already? Seek the Lord’s help in removing a bad influence of questionable character from your child’s life.
In this area, pray the other side of what you prayer while praying offensively. Pray that God would help you catch your child doing something wrong. God seems to feel sorry for parents who pray this prayer!
4. Pray Intensely
One of the most misunderstood disciplines of the entire Christian life is prayer accompanied with fasting (the giving up of food for a prescribed period of time). Although fasting does not earn brownie points with God, He nonetheless assumes in scripture that we will fast and pray (see Matt. 6:16-18) and promises to reward us if we do it correctly and with the right heart and attitude.
Pray when God brings your child to mind! It might be that at that very moment they are facing a temptation or spiritual danger from the evil one and that they need your intercession.
5, Pray with your child
It’s easy for prayer to become an exclusive dialogue–you and God. When I pray with the kids at night it is exactly that…WITH them, not at them… “Oh Lord, convict my son sitting here right now of his horrible attitude!”
No, don’t pray at them! Pray with and for them!
Listen, God wants the same thing for both you and your child. TALK TO HIM!
“The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much!” James 5:16
* sources include The Bible (Duh)) and “Parenting Today’s Adolescent” by Dennis Rainey