The Winepress of the Fury of the Wrath of God Almighty (Rev 19:15)

Jesus, the defender of the helpless and one who punishes the oppressor,

Once again our image of you as a passive weakling hinders our true understanding of your nature. We know from your revelation to your servant John, that you are the one who will destroy those who harass and oppress your people. I will never fully understand the existence of evil in the world, but I do know that it exists and that innocent people are hurt by it. The Book of Revelation teaches me that you are not an indifferent observer in those times, but that at the right time you avenge your people.

Though I would like to pray that no injustice ever happens to these children, I know that is simply not real life in this fallen world. Your servants have suffered injustice over the centuries and, of course, you suffered injustice for us.  I pray that when these children suffer injustice in their lives that they will look to you and know that you live, and that you live to defend them and avenge them in the Day of the Lord. That you tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty against those who would render injustice against the children of God.

Amen

He Will Rule Them with an Iron Scepter (Rev 19:15)

Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords,

It strikes me that you are often portrayed as "meek and gentle" in the sense of being "weak and gentle". The authority ascribed to you in the book of Revelation is markedly different than such an image. Certainly you are filled with compassion, but you are also a victorious conquering king who expects obedience from your subjects.

I pray that these children come to understand your majesty and your power. That they come to understand that all things are under your control and under your power. That before you every knee will bow. And by that understanding, they will know that your teachings are not just suggestions, but words of their master and king - words and teachings to be taken seriously as words given by someone before whom someday they will bow. I pray they know your gentleness and your compassion and your love, but that they understand that such love and compassion does not mean that you think lightly of or respond lightly to sin. You are a king who expects loyalty and allegiance - and a commitment to follow your commands.

So I pray that these children will know your love and compassion, but will also have a compelling desire to obey you as their king.

Amen

Rev 19:15

And out of his mouth came a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.

Jesus, King of Glory,

I pray that these children come to understand the power of your word. The power of scripture as in works within them in their lives. I pray that they come to understand that your word is not just words on a page, but the power of the universe that is in their hands.

The reference to sword is mentioned again within your word -

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12).

I understand from these words and the words in Revelation 19, that, via the power of God's Holy Spirit, something happens when your word is read and when it is spoken that is more than just an intellectual  exercise - but that your power is unleashed - sufficiently to strike down nations. Such is the reason many of my prayers for them are based on your word.

I pray that these children gain an understanding of that power, and begin to seek your word, to read your word and to make your word a part of their every day lives. That they do not miss this power that is available to them in facing the barriers they will encounter in trying to live a godly life.

Amen

Philippians 2

Jesus,

Paul tells us that our attitude should be like yours. Though you are God, you did not use your power to hold on to your position, but instead you emptied yourself to become a servant and, becoming human, you humbled yourself.

I pray that you help these children to understand the true meaning of Christmas - the example of the incarnation, which is as Paul describes and that these children learn the true meaning of and value of servanthood. That they will understand the power in touching hurting people, one person at a time - just as you did. Increase their joy experienced when they help, give and serve so that it becomes second nature to them to reach out to people. Give them a heart for the oppressed, the struggling, the downcast and the outcast, just as you have. Give them a desire to imitate your humility, a humility founded in strength and restrained power. A humility with full knowledge and understanding of their position as children of the King, and a full knowledge of their true citizenship. And that they too are emptying themselves of their position as royalty in your kingdom, and that they are a continuing incarnation - your hands to touch the hurting, your feet to visit the sick, your arms to embraced the unloved, your shoulders to cry on, your eyes to see what is needed in the lives of others, your mouth to speak encouragement and your ears to listen to the lonely.

Amen

Happy Birthday TyP

(Belated - I'm still getting this blogging discipline down - TyP's birthday was 12/5 - but thankfully prayers do not expire - I now have all of these set up on my recurring calendar with reminders - I am blessed to have my "quiver full" such that I can no longer just keep it all in my head).

Father,

I thank you for Ty. He has been a blessing to my life and is such a kind spirit. I pray that he continues to grow in his knowledge of you and develops a spiritual maturity beyond his years. As the youngest of four boys, growing up can be a challenge always being the youngest. Strengthen his self esteem so that he realizes that being younger, he simply won't be able to do things as well (yet) as the older boys. Let him become at peace with that, and truly understand that his value comes from you, not from measuring up to older boys. Help him to see his value in the world as one who can sense the needs of others and reach out to them.

Help him to be a strong and kind older brother to LGC as she will look to him as her closest in age big brother. May they develop a special bond that lasts a lifetime as she comes to listen to wise counsel from him.

Bring strong and positive influences into his life. Bring righteous peers into his circle of friends and remove those peers who would lead him astray. Put in his heart a desire for what is good, and dull his desire for things that lead to destruction.

Shield him with the armies of heaven.

Amen

Rev 19:13 A Robe Dipped in Blood

Jesus, King of Kings -The Word of God who became flesh and lived among us,

The image of you in a robe dipped in blood tells me that you have experienced the life that we live. You have suffered the weaknesses of our bodies by sickness and pain. You have experienced fatigue. You have experienced rejection. You have experienced loss and sadness. You have experienced facing horribly difficult looming times. You have struggled in prayer. You have prayed for deliverence and been told "no". You have been tempted. Your robe is indeed dipped in blood.

I don't fully understand how the creator of the universe "experiences" things that you already knew. I don't know how that experience somehow makes you, an all knowing God, more sympathetic than you would have been before the experience. But Hebrews 4:15 tells me that because you were tempted in every way just as I have been, you are able to sympathize with my weaknesses.  Your robe is dipped in blood.

Because of that, I pray that you show great compassion to these children as they are growing up. They are and will be immature. They will make some mistakes and poor decisions. I ask that in your great compassion and understanding you spare them to full consequences of their ill advised actions. That you quickly forgive and restore them when they wander. That you hear and sympathize with the pain they experience - both their physical pain, but also the pain of rejection that they will inevitably experience. Give them an extra sense of your presence with them so that they are comforted in those times. Help them to see your example of righteous living in the midst of pain, suffering, rejection and loss. Help them to look to you, a righteous and understanding God, with your robe dipped in blood.

Amen

Rev. 19:12 - Eyes of Blazing Fire

Jesus, King of Glory, Firstborn over all Creation,

You are so often portrayed as a wimp. But the image of eyes of blazing fire tells us that is simply wrong. You have within you the power of the universe, the power that began all that is - all contained within your physical body, and in verse 12, that power being uncontainable - bursting forth through your eyes. 

You are crowned with many crowns - more powerful and more honored than any earthly king or ruler.

Even your name is beyond our understanding or comprehension. There are many names in scripture for you, but verse 12 tells us that those names are only an effort to try to explain you to us. But in truth, we will never full know you or understand you.

But we do know that you fight for us in the spiritual battle that surrounds us - a battle we also cannot fully understand. But we know it is real.

I pray that you unleash your power in the battle for the souls of these children. That you show them your power in ways that they will understand that by following you, there is hope for ultimate victory - that they are on the winning team. Lift their eyes to see that those who are with us are greater and more powerful than those that are with the forces of evil.

Help these children to see and understand your power and your majesty - and to know that such power and majesty is fighting for them.

Amen

Revelation 19:11 The Rider on the White Horse

Jesus, King and Lord of Lords,

The image of you on a white horse impresses me as a symbol of your royalty, your power, your purity and that you are swift and active, ready to wage war against the forces of evil in this world. And your title and name "Faithful and True" tells me that you are always present with us and that you do what you say you are going to do.

I pray that you defend these children as a warrior charging into battle, that you battle he who is bent on their destruction. We know the war is real. That satan and his forces want these children for his own. I pray with everything in my soul that you do not let that happen. That you battle those forces that will try to deceive them and attract them to a life that would lead to destruction. That you battle those forces that will deceive their friends and others around them. That you surround these children with the armies of heaven and show them the way everlasting.

Amen

Psalm 91

God who protects - El Shaddai,

I pray that these little ones will dwell in your shelter, that they rest in your shadow, that they will say of you "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust."

Surely you will save them from the fowler's snare and from deadly pestilence. Cover them with your feathers so that they will find refuge under your wings. By your faithfulness be their shield and rampart so that they will not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at mid-day.

A thousand my fall at their side, ten thousand on their right hand, but it will not come near them - they will only observe with their eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

I pray that they make their dwelling in you, in you who is my refuge. Then no harm will befall them, no disaster will come near them. Command your angels concerning them to guard all of their ways - angels who will lift up their hands so that they will not strike their feet against a stone - they will tread on the lion and the cobra - trample the great lion and the serpent.

Because of their love for you and your love for them, rescue them and protect them and know their names. As they call upon you, please answer them and be with them in times of trouble - deliver them and honor them with long life. Satisfy their needs, hopes and dreams and show them your salvation.

Amen

A new one coming!

Dear Father,

I thank you that you are bringing a new soul into our lives, another one who will call me Grandad. I pray that you bless TH and JH as they prepare again to become parents to a new daughter. I pray that you bless J with a healthy pregnancy and an uneventful delivery. I pray that this little girl will develop normally and be a fully healthy baby when she is born.

I pray that you give T and J wisdom in raising her and that KMA, ECH and AGH will be good and protective big sisters for her. I pray that you create in her a heart that delights in you and who will bask in your presence. Guide her and mold her into a great woman of faith.

Amen

Psalm 139

Lord,

You know these children, you know them better than we do.

You know when they sit and when they rise, from a distance you know their thoughts.

You know when they go out and when they lie down to rest.

You know all of their ways. Before a word is on their tongues, you know it completely.

You hem them in, behind and in front - you have laid your hand of protection upon them.

Such knowledge is too wonderful to me, beyond my comprehension.

Where can they go from your Spirit, where can the run from your presence?

If they go up to the heavens, you are there. If they make their beds in the depths, you are there.

If they rise on the wings of dawn and settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide them, your right hand will hold them close.

If at some point in their lives they think that you no longer care for them or even see them - if they should say in their despair and loneliness "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

For you created their inmost being, you knitted them together in their mother's womb.I praise you because they are each wonderfully and fearfully made. Search them and know their hearts. Examine them and know when their hearts are anxious. See if there is any offensive way in them, and then lead them in the way everlasting - in the ways of righteousness.

Amen

Psalm 103

Father, creator of the universe,

Instill in these children a strong desire to praise you with all  their inmost being, to praise your holy name. That they will praise you and not forget all the blessings you shower on them: that you forgive all their sins, that you heal their diseases, that you redeem theirs lives from the pit if they wander from you, that you crown them with love and compassion, that you satisfy their desires with good things, that you renew their youth like the eagle's.

Thank you that you will  work righteousness and justice when they are oppressed.
Thank you that you will be compassionate and gracious to them, slow to anger, abounding in love.
Thank you that you will not always accuse or harbor your anger toward them, nor will you treat them as their sins will deserve.

As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is your love for these children. As far as the east is from the west, so you will remove their sins from them. As a father has compassion on his children, so you will have compassion on these children.

You know how they were formed and you remember that they are dust, like grass or the flowers of the field. But from everlasting to everlasting, your love will be with these children.

Praise to you who has established you throne in heaven as your kingdom rules over all.

Amen

Fruit of the Spirit - Self Control

Spirit of God,

As you fill these children with your presence, please grow quickly in them the fruit of self control. It is so difficult when we are young to control the impulses of youth. Hormones are raging and the maturity to fully understand the long term consequences of actions has not fully developed. For that reason, I pray for your transforming power to build within each of them a perception and discernment far beyond their years such that they can see clearly the future and understand the benefits of controlling their impulses and the consequences of failing to do so.

Give them a ready ability to sense when things are going in direction that they need to back away and then give them the courage to actually back away. Give them a strong senses of self value - that they belong to you - and thereby they are able to confidently choose a godly course and not be intimidated or pressured into doing otherwise. Strengthen them with your power in extra measure when they face their strongest temptations.

Give them a firm control of their temper, that they can exhibit a calm and steady spirit to those around them and such that they do not do things in anger that they will later regret. Help them to see through their anger to discern what really matters in the situation. There are times when righteous anger is appropriate, but in those circumstances give them the wisdom to make a measured response.

By them having a steady and calm hand, may they develop a skill in leadership that will allow them to be more effective for good in their lives as they lead others toward righteous ends and toward a righteousness life.

Amen

Happy Birthday LGC

Father,

I thank you for LGC and the joy that she has brought and continues to bring to her family. I'm thankful for a house full of big brothers who love her and will always be there to look out for her. I know that you are already growing within her the seed of faith as her parents are faithfully exposing her to your word. Protect that seed and allow it to grow and flourish. May she be that voice of a child in her home through which you often speak your wisdom. Protect her from the evil one so that she can grow up amidst joy and peace. Raise her up to be a great woman of faith.

Fruit of the Spirit - Gentleness

Spirit of God,

As you fill these children with your presence, I pray that you grow in them the fruit of gentleness. It is easy and normal to be gentle with those broken in spirit, but the challenge is in being gentle toward those who create in us natural reaction to respond harshly - those who don't "deserve" gentleness.  This is a great struggle for me - when to respond with gentleness and when is a gentle response enabling bad behavior? Because this is such a difficult thing, I know that godly gentleness can only be a gift from you, oh Holy Spirit. It is only by your power that anyone can possess the balance of gentleness measured against the wisdom of admonition.

There were clearly times when Jesus was not gentle - but it was always with arrogant people, with people who were using their position, power or influence to oppress or attack others. But he was gentle with the struggling sinner. Somewhere in that example is the pattern of godly gentleness. But even in those examples, he would say "and sin no more", showing a pattern of refusing to enable continuing bad behavior.

So for these children, I pray that you will  fill them with the fruit of godly gentleness, seasoned with wisdom that only you can provide. I pray that they far exceed my own level of attainment in this regard.

Amen

Fruit of the Spirit - Faithfulness

Spirit of God,

As you fill these children with your presence, I pray that you will grow quickly the fruit of faithfulness.  Through their experiences and by your power, I first pray that you will build the foundation of faithfulness - faith. That they develop a deeply seated belief in your existence, in your presence in their lives, in your care and concern for them, in your loving guidance, and, most importantly, in your reward for a life faithfully lived. It is that belief that your reward is greater than any earthly reward that spurs us to persevere through difficult times - to live faithfully in difficult circumstances, believing earnestly that your reward is far superior to any of life's present difficulty.

I also pray, as I often have, that you fill these children with great courage - essential to living faithfully, as continuing to do the right thing requires not only faith, but courage.

And I pray that you give them great wisdom and perspective - the ability to see what truly leads to a life of significance - being faithful to commitments and promises made. The ability to perceive the things that really matter- the things that have eternal significance.  With that perspective they can overcome and persevere through pain and difficulties.

May they be known as people that keep their promises, who do the right thing no matter how much it hurts and who see all things through to the end.

Amen

Fruit of the Spirit - Goodness

Spirit of God,

Scripture tells us that no one does good on their own (Romans 3:12). I have sometimes been confused by that statement since I know of non-believers who do good things. But as I have studied more and as you have taught me more, I have begun to understand that pure goodness is impossible for mankind because pure goodness is doing good for your glory and only for your glory. All other "doing good" is one way or another self centered - either being done for personal gain or so that we can feel good about ourselves. But only you can fully bring us to doing good for your glory - so that our entire lives are worship - glorying you through a life a goodness (Romans 12:1).

I pray that as you grow your fruit of goodness within these children, that you will grow them to the otherwise unnatural state of service for the sake of your glory. I ask this for these children knowing that even at my age I am so far from attaining that level of spirituality. Though I do believe you intend for us to be able to feel good about doing good, true spiritual goodness means that we do not to good for the purpose of feeling good about doing good. I pray that you bring these children to that level of spiritual maturity early in their walk so that they can truly exhibit that kind of goodness.

I pray also that they exhibit goodness in the form of living out goodness in their example and witness to the world. That people will see you in them and that it will be obvious to all that they are filled with your goodness - by their actions, by their speech, by their purity, by the way they treat other people - that they will be a light of goodness shining in the darkness.

Amen

Fruit of the Spirit - Kindness

Spirit of God,

I pray that as you fill these children, you will soften their hearts and give them an understanding of the feelings of others so that they approach people with a heart of kindness. With our human flaws and the flaws of others, it is easy to become calloused and cynical toward others. That callousness causes us the be harsh towards those who frustrate or disappoint us. I pray that you give these children a sensitivity to and an understanding of human frailty and thereby that they are able to be kind to people toward whom it is difficult to show kindness.

May that kindness be tempered with wisdom to know when kindness needs to give way to admonition so that they do not enable behavior that will ultimately cause harm. Balancing kindness with the need to hold people accountable is indeed a challenge, but I pray that you guide them in that path. But in that path, may they always err on the side of mercy and  kindness.

Give them the ability to sense when people need the touch of kindness and give them the wisdom of how best to show that touch. May their actions of kindness have far reaching effects both in space and time.

Amen

Fruit of the Spirit - Patience

Spirit of God,

This subject is a most difficult one. I realize that often patience is taught by having to wait. None-the-less, I pray that as you fill these children, you will produce in them the fruit of patience. Help them to learn that so often you will want them to wait on the Lord. Help them to learn that you often begin to do your work when we have given up trying to be in control. I pray, though, that their patience will not be in vain.

I pray that even though they wait, they will see, over and over again in their lives, the end result of your work and be able to glory in the power of you in their lives.

I pray particularly that you will grow their patience in dealing with their loved ones. With their parents, their step parents, their brothers and sisters, their future spouse and their own children. In all of their relationships, give them a full understanding of the patience you have shown them in forgiving them over and over again. Help them to always have in the front of their minds the sacrifice Jesus made for them, even though neither they nor any of us deserved that sacrifice. Save them from being the ungrateful servant, forgiven a great debt yet unwilling to be patience with and forgive others.

In all that they do, please give them a special grace of patience and understanding.

Amen

Fruit of the Spirit - Peace

Spirit of God,

As you indwell these children, I ask that, out of the fruit of love and joy, you grow within them the fruit of peace. I pray that peace fills them, a peace that surpasses understanding. A peace that allows them to be calm in the midst of storms, a peace that allows them to keep their heads when everyone else is losing theirs, a peace that allows them to think clearly in the midst of chaos, a peace that allows them to be kind when under stress rather than lashing out.

As your peace fills them, I pray that your peace emanates from them to those around them so that they will be a comfort to those who fear, so that they can lead in the midst of trials, so that they can create stability for those whose lives are crumbling, so that they can be that reassuring smile to the troubled.

I thank you for that power that you will exhibit in their lives and the impact that you will have through their peaceful strength.

Amen

Fruit of the Spirit - Joy

Spirit of God,

As you indwell these children when they give their lives to Jesus and clothe themselves in Him, may you grow within them and through them the fruit of joy. May that joy be first inward as they, through study of your word, understand the assurance of their salvation - as they understand that salvation is a gift from the Father through Jesus and secured by your seal, and that it is not a result of their goodness or their works or that they somehow clear some hurdle that gains them salvation, but that it is a free gift and that all you ask of them is that they walk in the light - that they do not abandon their faith - that they continue to live in love toward others (even though imperfectly so). Out of that confidence, may their joy grow as they realize that your power is holding them and that ultimately they will dwell with the Father, Son and Spirit for eternity. As they understand ever more fully that even though they are flawed and imperfect human beings who will make many many mistakes in their lives, they are still being constantly held by your power.

May that fruit of joy then turn outward as they live lives of joy, lives in which their joy is evident and obvious to all, not a joy that is artificial or "plastic", not a joy that is inconsistent with circumstances, because sadness, grieving and joy are not inconsistent. In our human condition we will suffer loss and we will grieve, but underlying that, by your power, is a foundation of joy that you grow within us that allows us to keep coming back to the knowledge that this life is temporary and that the losses we suffer now do not compare to the glorious riches that are in store for these children in the Father's house.

Then I pray that as their joy becomes obvious to those around them through your power, that such joy will become contagious to those around them as their influence expands and through that expanded influence, many will come to know the joy that comes from you.

All praise to the Father, to his Son and to you, oh Holy Spirit, that we can have your power within us to live lives that have such impact in the world around us, in ways beyond anything we could possible achieve on our own.

Amen

Fruit of the Spirit - Love

Spirit of God,

I pray that as these children commit their lives to you, you will indwell them and with your power you will produce in them love -  the kind of love that human kind is unable to exhibit on our own. A kind of love that can only come from your miraculous power. I pray that you produce in them not only the ability to deeply and unselfishly love those given to them to love - family and a future spouse and any children they may have, but that you will also imbue in them the unnatural ability to love the unlovable, to love those the world has discarded as without value. In that, give them keen perception of what is going on inside the unlovable, their history, their hurts and emotional wounds such that they may have an understanding of hurting and troubled people that is deep and give them the wisdom to know how best to reach and impact them. Then give them the strength and courage to act of that wisdom. This will be hard and completely impossible for them to do on their own, impossible but for your indwelling power.

I also pray that you will allow them to live to see the fruit of that fruit - the outcome from the seeds of the love they show.

Amen