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
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Thursday, December 8, 2011
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
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
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
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
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
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
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
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
Monday, December 5, 2011
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
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
Sunday, December 4, 2011
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
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
Thursday, December 1, 2011
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
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
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