Whatever You Have Heard. Philippians 4:9

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me–put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:9)

Wise Father,

I pray for these children and those who are raising them that they understand and embrace the basic truth that your principles are the only way to happiness and peace. People often become bored with following your ways, deceived by the evil one into thinking that there are better paths to happiness. When following your ways becomes routine or just "too hard", we can be deceived into looking for an easier way or a way that is more "exciting".

I pray that you give them wisdom and decernment to be able to see through the lies, and understand your truth so they are not deceived. Bring good examples of godly living into their paths and may they also see examples of the destruction of lives that comes from rejecting your ways.

As they fully embrace your ways, may they become those godly examples for others to follow.

Amen

If anything is Praiseworthy - Philippians 4:8

Dear Father,

I strikes me that thinking on things that are worthy of praise means that we should be seeking out things that are so worthy. First, I pray for these children and those who are raising them, that they will constantly look for things you are doing in their lives for which they can be thankful and praise you. May they reach the point that they are doing this as a constant stream of thought.

I pray also that they will be seeking out things in other people that are worthy of praise and that they will voice that praise with sincerity such that they are a source of encouragement for those who are striving to do noble things.

May they also be willing to give themselves credit for praiseworthy things they have done and realize that "humility" does not mean that they can't feel good about and acknowledge the good that they do, through your power working within them.


Amen

If anything is Excellent - Philippians 4:8

Dear Father,

I pray that these children come to appreciate excellence and strive to achieve it. I pray they understand the difference between perfection (which seeking perfection can become unhealthy) and excellence, which we should always be trying to achieve. I pray that these children will not be satisfied with mediocrity in any aspect of their lives, but will always strive to improve and will seek out examples of excellence to emulate. I pray that they also inspire those around them to achieve excellence, and by that develop and show true leadership.

Amen

Happy Birthday AGH!!

Dear Father,

Thank you for bringing AGH into our family. For the unifying force that she is as two families have come together. Help KMA and ECH to be good big sisters to her, guiding her and protecting her. Be with JH and TH as they raise her. Give them great wisdom and patience. I pray that you protect her from the evil one. Protect her from illness as she has struggled so with her respiratory condition. May she continue to be a joy to her parents and sisters and to all around her.

Amen

Whatever is Admirable - Philippians 4:8

Dear Father,

I pray that these children are able to put their egos aside so that they can acknowledge and appreciate qualities in others that should be admired, that they not only appreciate those qualities, but seek to emulate them. I pray that you give them wisdom to discern what is truly admirable in your eyes, and not that which is only admirable by the standards of this world.

I pray that they also seek out admirable qualities in people that at first might not seem admirable - that they look for good in all people.

I also pray that through self examination, they discern that which is admirable in themselves so that they seek to grow those attributes and improve upon them.

I pray though, that they ultimately look to the example of Jesus for that which is truly admirable and compare anything or anyone else that they seek to admire against His standard.

Amen

Whatever is Lovely - Philippians 4:8

Dear Father,

I'm certain that it is no coincidence that a key point yesterday in my cousin's eulogy of my aunt was Philippians 4:8 and particularly "whatever is lovely", the next in this series of prayer blogs, my cousin knowing nothing about this blog. When he said those words, I smiled at how you often do things like that, small things, just to remind me that you are there.

My prayer for these children and for those raising them is that they seek out what is lovely in your creation. Though as conscientious followers of your Son, we cannot and should not ignore what is wrong with this fallen world and the suffering and heart ache that comes from the current imperfection of our world, your servant Paul is telling us that we need to lift our eyes from the muck and messiness of this world to see that which is still lovely. Doing so allows us a glimpse of creation as you intended it and as it will again be some day when you redeem it. And in that is hope.

I pray that they do not become so busy in their lives or so calloused of heart that they do not stop often to admire beauty and thank you for it.

But I also pray that they seek beauty in things that may not at first glance appear to have beauty, both in nature, but more importantly in people, your children. So quickly we categorize people as beautiful, plain or ugly. We have an easier time seeing the inward beauty of people who are not beautiful in physical appearance, though not without effort to overcome first impressions. But we have great difficulty seeing beauty in people who have great inward ugliness (or at least their inward ugliness is more apparent than the rest of us). I pray that you instill in these children, a strong sense that in each person, there is inward beauty if they will look for it and cultivate it, though sometimes it will be well hidden. I pray that they will seek this beauty and encourage it. To understand that weeds often have beautiful flowers and that one person's weed is another person's treasure and that with you there is beauty in all.

I pray that they also see the beauty in themselves. Self examination is important as we strive to improve. But being overly critical of ourselves is harmful. I pray that they are able to healthily evaluate themselves, but that they give themselves permission to also seek out, acknowledge and admire the beautiful things about themselves, particularly their inward beauty. Help them to know and appreciate that these are flowers that you have planted within them, a part of your created beauty and that they can be thankful for what you are doing in their lives and to recognize that it is not egotistical to accept that they are your children, created in your image, and though they are, as is all creation, corrupted by sin, there is still your created beauty about them and within them. And this is what will remain when you redeem them at the renewing of all things.

Amen

Whatever is Pure. Philippians 4:8

Dear Father,

We are bambarded on every front with that which is impure. Certainly hard core pornography is just a click away, but more polluting to the mind is the "soft" pornography which we simply cannot escape. It is everywhere. Mainstream television, advertisements and movies are full of sexual innuendo and implicit and explicit sexual situations. It will be a major life long battle for these children if they are to keep themselves from being polluted by the world. But as you well know, it impossible to empty our minds of things we wish to not think about. Thus your scripture tells us, instead, to think about things that are pure.

I pray that these children seek wholesome music, movies and television shows. I pray that they read books and listen to music that builds their spiritual strength. Give them a desire for these things and an awareness of the addictive danger of even soft pornography and the emotional and spiritual corruption that comes from ungodly movies, television and music.

Amen