Monday Musings

The discomfort of early labor hoodwinked this first time mom into thinking, “Well, this isn’t so bad.”  As I breezed through each mild contraction, I thought, “The woman on the prenatal video must have been screaming for dramatic effect!”  Three hours later when the HARD labor kicked in, I felt my sister’s pain (literally)!  Flip-flopping on my staunch position regarding “no drugs,” I informed the nurse of my change of heart.   Smiling sweetly and patting my hand, she said, “Honey, we are way past the drug option.”

 You may not be familiar with the labor pains of childbirth, but all of us have experienced the labor pains of life.

A difficult working environment.

A loss of income.

Aging parents.

A difficult marriage.

A cancer diagnoses.

A suicide.

As childbirth labor comes unexpectedly and grows in intensity, so too can the labor pains of life.  They can rock our very faith foundations.  In honesty, they cause us to doubt both God’s love for us and His ability to be in control. 

They immobilize us to the point where we can barely breathe an S.O.S prayer!  Floundering beneath wave after wave of pain, we berate ourselves because we are questioning, despite the fact we watched the video, read the manual, and had a well thought out plan for facing the pains of life.  We struggle with guilt; barely able to swallow a spoonful of truth while trying not to drown in the bucketfuls of scriptures some well-intentioned believers bring and pour on us. 

On such an occasion in my own life, all I could do through the pain and tears was sing repeatedly, “Jesus Loves Me.” 

A friend told me her story of lying with her face to the wall, being able only to hear a voice singing, “Jesus Never Fails,” over and over again.

Have you been there, friend?  Are you there now?

Asaph, an organizer and leader of the temple’s choir during the reign of King David and Solomon, was familiar with labor pains (Psalm 73).  God’s goodness, the very thing that Satan called into question in the Garden, was Asaph’s struggle.  It is often ours today.

Asaph knew the truth of God’s goodness.  He had seen it in the past!  But yet, because of  current labor pains, he finds himself battling unbelief.  He admits he “almost” stumbles and loses his footing.     

TRUTH

In an attempt to devour the shepherd’s sheep, the demons of doubt descend, not when the sun is shining, but the moment darkness falls!!  (Have you noticed sheep that have gone through intense pains are the sheep most like their shepherd?)

How many times, as Asaph, have painful circumstances caused our feet to slip, and caused us to question God’s goodness?

I am so thankful for the word, “almost!”  Asaph regained his footing when his battle with disbelief failed to defeat him, but forced him instead to God.  Though we may experience times of stumbling and doubt, like Asaph, we can be assured we need not fall!

Why?

In those times when we are too weak; too overwhelmed to hold onto to God, Jehovah Shammah never loses His grip on us (vs. 23)!  He holds us, not just until we get to the place where we can stand and move on, but continues to hold us until the day we reach glory (Isaiah 46:4, Psalm 48:14).

May you who are experiencing labor pains in life, rest in His capable hands with the confidence that despite your current numbness and excruciating pain, God will carry you through!

 “Whom have I in heaven but You?  And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.  

 My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” 

Psalm 73: 25-26

“I am only one, but I am still one.  I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.”   Edward Everett Hale

When Satan and his minions get together for a meeting, does your name come up?  If it did, what would they say?  Would they quake with fear at the very mention of your name and decide to increase their efforts against you?  One would hope that the name of every believer would cause panic amongst the Devil’s realm.  The sad truth, however, is that Satan does not know the names of most believers.

“One day the evil spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”  – Acts 19:15

The enemy does not care how much you go to church. 

He does not care if you read your Bible everyday, give to Missions, or are bursting with talent.

What does he fear? 

He fears that you will realize how mighty a warrior you could be, through the power of your King, if you submit to His way and become who He designed you to be!

A Mighty Warrior?

Hiding in a winepress from the invading Midianites, Gideon was threshing wheat when an angel appeared to him and said, “…the LORD is with you, mighty warrior.” Judges 6:12

Gideon must have looked around to see who else was in the cave with him!  Surely, the angel couldn’t be talking to him.  He was anything BUT a warrior. 

His whole life he had been taught to stay low, out of sight, and away from the Midianites.  He knew how NOT to draw attention to himself.

But God sent the angel to ask him to leave his hiding place and take on the very enemy from whom he was hiding!  Gideon was not “down” with that!

Content with being a farmer, Gideon had no secret dreams of grandeur.   Gideon liked being invisible. 

So, what did he do?

Gideon began to point out his flaws - as if God would be surprised by them!  (Judges 6:15)

Gideon failed to see how God could ever use him, a lowly farmer. 

Have you had your own Gideon-like moments?

We are all called to serve God in some way.  Most of us, however, refuse to leave our hiding place.  We think God could use others but that He could never use us.  We, like Gideon, give God only excuses.  

Have you considered how our excuses dishonour God? 

Our excuses imply that God made a mistake in choosing us; that He does not know what He is doing.  Many times, we forget that the same God who used a lowly farmer, a shepherd boy, a tax collector, a prostitute, and a motley crew of fishermen, certainly could use you and me – flaws and all.  In truth, even before our birth, He called and equipped us to do many tasks!  (Ephesians 2:10)

What was the result when Gideon stopped debating and started doing?

Gideon became just what almighty God said he would…a mighty warrior!  He became Israel’s fifth judge.  He defeated the Midianite army, was offered kingship by Israel, and became a member of Faith’s Hall of Fame (Hebrews 11). 

When God spoke to Gideon through an angel in that dark, hidden winepress, He saw Gideon for what He would be; not for what he was. 

God sees YOU in the very same way!

Mighty warrior, isn’t it time you stop hiding, stop debating and start doing?

Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders & says…

“Oh no….she/he’s awake!!”

During the Vietnam War, military intelligence released a warning to all soldiers regarding the existence of a very poisonous snake, that if bitten by it, a person would take “two-steps” and die.  Because Asia was home to many venomous snakes, many believed the “two-step” did not actually exist but was only a ploy to make sure the soldiers avoided all snakes!

Although very few of us will actually ever cross paths with a venomous snake, we either have been bitten or are in peril of being bitten by a much more deadly snake…WORDS.

Words have the power to destroy marriages, wreck churches, ravage relationships, tarnish reputations, poison minds, and leave a path of ruin in their wake. Other deadly poisons of the tongue are gossiping, bragging, flattery, false teaching, putting others down, manipulating and lying.  We may not intend for our words to cause pain, but  Satan will certainly use them to cause harm if we are not careful.

How much thought do we give before we speak? 

Is this the RIGHT time to speak or should we wait until emotions are cooled?

How much care do we give to the tone of our voice?

Even a casual sarcastic comment or critical observation followed by the glib, “just joking,” can inflict a deeper, more deadly wound than that of the “two-step” snake.  (Proverbs 26:18-19)

On the positive side, words can have the power to repair a marriage, revive relationships, restore reputations, heal minds, strengthen the fabric of faith and leave a path of encouragement and comfort (Proverbs 16:24).

The Challenge

In speaking to each other, my two tweens were having difficulty using their words in a positive way. So, for the summer months, I issued a challenge.    

Every time their Dad or I caught one of them calling names (even in-jest) or using hurtful words, the perpetrator had to pay the other two dollars.

Their motto for the summer was this, “If you can’t think of something positive to say, then say nothing at all!”

During the first few weeks, money was rapidly exchanging hands!  Now, however, mid-way through our summer challenge, there is only the occasional retribution payment 

So, Friend, I extend the same challenge to you.

If for one week someone paid you five dollars for every kind word you spoke and you had to pay them five dollars for every unkind one, at the end of the week would you have more or less money in your wallet? 

The Secret

For riding lessons, my daughter’s mount is a male Percheron named Charlie.  He is a HUGE horse!  Yet, my daughter can direct this powerful animal over jumps and around barrels by controlling the tiny bit in his mouth.

James tells us that the one who controls his tongue can “bridle the whole body” (James 3:2).

Only through submission to the Holy Spirit can we tame our poisonous tongue (Psalms 141:3).  Like Isaiah, we need a hot, heavenly coal to sear our tongue so that our words are killed and HIS heavenly words are ignited!  We need to speak when HE prompts and be silent when HE says, “be silent.”

Isn’t it interesting that the same letters that spell “listen” also spell “silent?”

A Practical Tip

Put into practice the T.H.I.N.K Formula before you speak to ensure that your words are never poisonous!

T – Is it True?

H – Is it Helpful?

I – Is it Inspiring?

N – Is it Necessary?

K – Is it Kind?

If what I am about to say doesn’t pass the T.H.I.N.K. test, then I am to keep quiet.

This week, may the words we leave with people be a gift, rather than a poisonous snake bite.

Have you ever wondered how your prayers get to heaven or what happens behind the scenes when you pray? 

Daniel, as a young Jewish boy, learned to practice prayer and to serve Yahweh with all his heart.  At the young age of 16, Daniel and his friends were forcibly removed from their home and country and placed in exile in a foreign pagan land. Away from his family and all he knew, forced to accept a Babylonian name and pressured to adapt to a pagan culture, religion, and way of life, Daniel choose to stand by his convictions. 

Prayer, as it had when he lived in Israel, remained a top priority to Daniel.

He prayed three times a day every day. 

He prayed in his room. 

He prayed while he served.

He prayed in the lions den. 

He prayed for wisdom. 

He prayed for forgiveness of his sins and the sins of his people.

On one occasion, Daniel, burdened for his Jewish nation, fasted and prayed for 21 days! (Daniel 10:11-14)  However, Daniel became discouraged when he saw no immediate answer for his prayers.

How often am I discouraged when I see no answers for my prayers?

Listen to God’s response to Daniel’s discouraged heart.

“SINCE THE FIRST DAY that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, YOUR WORDS WERE HEARD, and I have come in response to them.”  (Dan 10:12)

What a blessed assurance! God heard Daniel’s prayer immediately and sent the answer immediately. 

This truth still applies to us today.

 Every time we pray, God sends an angel with the answer…immediately!

Why, then, is there such a delay in the answers arrival?  

In Daniel 10, God pulls back the curtain and allows us a rare, behind the scenes glimpse into the spiritual realm. It is like when you are at a theatrical play and the curtain is closed.  You do not usually see what takes place behind the curtain.  If you did not know better, you might never realize that while the curtain is closed the props are brought out, the scenery is changed, and the actors take their positions.  However, occasionally somebody slips up, the curtain accidentally is drawn back, and you see what is taking place behind the scenes.  That is (in essence) what God is doing here – He is drawing back the curtain so that we may see what is ordinarily hidden from our eyes.

When Daniel prayed forces (Prince of Persia) rose up to challenge those prayers.  These forces serve the Prince of this world (John 12:31, John 14:30).  They are fallen angels whose goal is to oppose and delay God’s work (Ephesians 6:10-18).

Daniel prayed for 21 days.   God heard the prayer, immediately and dispatched the answering angel the very FIRST day. Yet, because of the enemies attempt to thwart the answer’s arrival, the angel did not arrive until day 21! 

What would have happened if Daniel had given up praying on day six or day 12 or day 18?  Would the angel still have arrived with his answer?  The Bible does not say for sure but it strongly implies that he may not have!

Why did Jesus teach us to pray and not give up? (Luke 18:1-7)

It is not because God is hard of hearing nor is it because pestering God will cause him to give us what we want.  It is because we are in a battle! 

Every time you and I pray, we unleash the power of heaven. That riles the Devil! He will send forces to oppose the arrival of those answers.  However, God’s word promises that the answer will never be late while there is faith rallying the heavenly forces!  (Hebrews 1: 14) 

Are you praying for an unsaved love one?  Do not give up! Your prayers are powerful weapons.  Every time you pray, more and more power from above is poured down on that person!  More and more angels are sent to do battle for their soul!

Are you tired of praying for a difficult situation?  Do not give up!  With every prayer, more and more power is being poured down from the throne of God. (II Kings 6: 14-18) 

Prayer is not passive!  It is active!  It is aggressive!  You are moving the very forces of heaven!

Next time you pray, know you are involved in Heavenly warfare, know that God hears you, and answers immediately, know that you should remain in prayer, and keep faith, believing God’s answer will never be too late!

At the age of 11, I planted my very first garden.  I was very inexperienced, but knew enough to understand that if I planted cucumber seeds, I would harvest cucumbers.

For the most part, I was careful to water my garden and pull the weeds.  I even built a scarecrow to frighten away annoying birds!

However, my initial enthusiasm for gardening began to wane.  Trips to the beach, bicycling with a friend; all became more pleasant than the care of my garden.   As a result, some seeds never came up.  Others that had burst forth from the ground with great expectation were choked to death by the weeds I had failed to pull.   Although I did enjoy some of the produce pictured on the seed packets, I harvested far less than I planted.

The Christian life is much like  gardening. 

“A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit.  For each tree is known by its own fruit.  Figs are not gathered from thorn bushes, or grapes picked from a bramble bush.  A good man produces good out of the good storeroom of his heart.  An evil man produces evil out of the evil storeroom, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.”  Luke 6: 43-45 (HCS)

Just as my garden did not spring up magically overnight, the good fruit in a believer’s life does not either.   My garden needed careful planting and cultivation in order for the seed to produce fruit; so too does the heart and life of every believer. 

If we plant and nuture good seeds, we will reap good fruit.  If we plant and nurture dead seeds, we will reap death.  It is the “reaping what you sow” principle!

How do we plant  good seeds? 

Good seeds are not something we can find on our own.  They come only from having the Chief Gardener in our heart – the Holy Spirit.

Jesus called Him, Parakletos, a Greek name meaning counsellor, guide, comforter, and the one who comes alongside.  Upon salvation, the Holy Spirit indwells us.  He is the very real presence of God in our lives. 

However, instead of allowing Him to lead and guide, we drag Him around with us from one decision to another, through one bad day after another, without giving Him much thought.  We never ask for His opinion.  Instead, we treat Him like a house guest we’ve invited to live with us, but do not allow to leave the guest room.

He is in our hearts but NOT in our lives. 

Being the perfect guest, the Holy Spirit will not barge in or force His way into the areas He has not been invited.  He will stay at the door waiting for OUR invitation to gain access to all our other rooms, closets, and secret places.  The paradox is, until we give Him that access, we will never live the abundant life promised to us as believers.

To sow good fruit, we must first agree to let our Paracletos take control.  We must allow Him to be our counsellor, to come alongside us in our everyday lives.  We need to stop and ask HIM what our next move, mood or word is to be, and then step with Him.  Then, and only then, will we be walking in the spirit – a walk that will produce, in us, good fruit (Gal 5:22 -25).

When I start displaying sour grapes in my life (temper, impatience with my kids, wrong attitudes) instead of the fruit of the spirit, I know that I need to do some gardening. What is inside can’t help but display itself in one’s actions (Luke 6:45b).

How is your garden growing?

Is there a weed of sin choking your fruit?  When was the last time you watered your garden with the WORD?  Are there some dead branches in need of pruning? 

If we continue to neglect the garden of our souls, we will reap only misery and turmoil. 

However, if we, with the Chief Gardener’s help, daily watch for and remove all weeds and dead branches, then water with the WORD and fertilize with prayer and fellowship, we will end up with a spiritual garden that will produce healthy fruit.  Our ministry is to be one of character.  What we are is more important than anything we will ever do or say! 

Jesus makes it clear that there are only two types of trees – a good tree producing healthy fruit or a bad tree producing rotten fruit.

How is your spiritual garden growing today?  Are you producing sour grapes or sweet, lush fruit? 

It is by YOUR fruit display that people will recognize to which tree you belong.

MythBusters is a popular science television program in our house.  The series stars two special effects guys – Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage who use basic scientific methods (with ample warnings not to try this at home) to test the validity of assorted rumours, myths, movie scenes, old adages and news stories in today’s popular culture.

Once they have scientifically tested the scenarios, based on their findings, they stamp the myth one of three ways:

Plausible!  (Believable and appearing likely to be true, but do not have sufficient evidence to confirm.)

Busted!

Confirmed!

Here is how they have graded some past myths (Remember, they TEST each myth!):

Punching a shark in the gills, nose, or eyes could cause it to back off.  PLAUSIBLE!  (No Kidding!)

 A tooth filling can pick up radio signals.  BUSTED!

 Cola soda can remove bloodstains.  CONFIRMED!

Although I never expect to be put in a situation where I might have to face down a shark and actually put the punching legend to test, there is a myth that I battle each day.

THE MYTH OF THE PERFECT PARENT.

We always seem to be taking the perfect parent test and failing.  Moreover, we don’t have to look far to find parents who seem (to us) to be passing the test with flying colors! 

We have a tendency to judge ourselves, and others, on the basis of our kid’s behaviour.  If our children misbehave we think it reflects poorly on us as parents.  On the flip side, if they are excelling, we are quick to take all the credit!

The truth is … there is no such thing as a perfect parent or a perfect child!

Good and bad tendencies are part of all of us, including our children.

Our little bundles of joy have been shaped by God and put together for a unique purpose - flaws included!  It is an unrealistic expectation that our kids will never make mistakes or that we will not mess up as parents.

What is a parent to do?

First we acknowledge that our children do not belong to us but are gifts (Psalm 127:3-5) entrusted to us from God.  That includes those days when we want to leave them sitting out on the front step with a “FREE to a good home” sign hanging around their necks!

Secondly, we must accept our God-given task to create a hunger in our children for the things of God.

 “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.”  Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV) 

This verse has often been misused as a “rabbit’s foot” of sorts; that if we are good parents we will have good kids.  However, despite their diligence in training, some parents experience adult children who live lives in total opposition to their up-bringing.  Their hearts ache for their kids to show some sign of “not departing from it.”  Because they claimed this verse as a guarantee, some parents have even let bitterness grow against God.   

In these situations, the God-given gift called “freedom of choice” has come into play.  Adult children may choose to go the way of disobedience in spite of what we may have taught them.  However, just as my parents are no longer responsible for my choices, my children will one day accept personal responsibility for theirs.

What is my responsibility then?

The Hebrew word for “train up” (Chanak) is actually used to describe the palate of the mouth.  The writer of Proverbs was creating a word picture for his readers.

In those times, a Hebrew mid-wife, after helping to deliver a baby, would dip her finger into a paste made of dates and rub it on the gums of the new baby.  This action would cause the baby to be hungry for more, triggering his desire to suck. 

As Godly parents we are to create a thirst or a hunger in our children for the things of God. (Deut 6:5-7) 

What is behind the perfect parent myth?

Thinking that I, rather than their Creator, am the one who controls the outcome of my kids!

The prophets of the Old Testament had difficult jobs.  They were to instruct stubborn, strong-willed groups of people who had track records of showing difficulty in following instructions! 

Ezekiel was one such prophet.

God gave this message to Ezekiel to deliver:  “If you (my children) do not listen and turn away from your sins, I (Jehovah) will discipline you.” 

As Ezekiel tried to digest the message himself, God added:  “Oh, by the way.  They will not listen to you.  They will be rebellious.  They will be disrespectful.  They will laugh at you.” (Ezekiel 2:3-5 – My paraphrase).  Doesn’t that sound like some of our homes these days?

Ezekiel could have thrown his hands in the air and said, “Forget that!  Why even bother?  If they aren’t going to listen why should I even try to teach them?”

Ezekiel did not do that.  Instead, he chose to do what God had asked of him — to teach faithfully the Word of God, and he did so for many years.     

Did the nation repent? 

No.

Did Ezekiel think he had failed?

No!

Ezekiel understood, like all the prophets, that his responsibility was to faithfully teach.  He was to leave the results, and the people’s responses, in the hands of God.

God did not ask Ezekiel for perfection, only faithfulness.

As a parent, there is a lesson here for me as well.

Daily, I must, with God’s strength, wisdom and discernment, teach faithfully (through actions & words) godly principles.  In the end, however, I let God be God and leave the results to Him. 

There was a period when I was that adult child; living far from what my parents taught me.  Yet, God in his awesomeness never gave up His pursuit for His prodigal daughter’s return.  Because my parents had faithfully instructed me, my conscience always knew I was on the wrong road.  Eventually, I gave up running away from God and instead, ran to Him.

This serves as a reminder that the faithful, wonder-working God that kept and pursued me will do no less for my children.   

He never gives up on any of His kids!

Scripture gives us governing principles for training our children, not guarantees.  Parents who apply these principles are far more likely to produce godly children than those who do not.

The bottom line?

Cling to the Lord daily; know His Word, trust it, and faithfully teach its principles.  Love  your children unconditionally; be their guardian and protector, and pray, pray, pray!

Oh yes, and stamp the perfect parent myth….BUSTED!!

Finally!  A tremendous victory had been won! 

Jerusalem’s walls were rebuilt. 

Yet…

The walls could not protect themselves.

Walls without live watchmen were still poor defences for a city.  A relentless enemy will find a way to breach the walls once again, if there is no one watching for him.

Recognizing the importance of protecting the rebuilt walls, gates and homes, Nehemiah appointed watchmen.  To the head of each family, he assigned the task of protecting the section of wall in front of their own house (Nehemiah 7:3).

Their God-appointed responsibility?

To continue to protect and take care of what God had entrusted to them.  

As leaders of our homes, that duty has not changed for us in 2010.  

What is a guardian?

A guardian is one who protects; one who guards over and against.

In our homes, we may have successfully surveyed the walls, recognized the damage, removed the rubble, and rebuilt on the cornerstone of Jesus and prayer.

However, we have neglected to take up our posts as guardians.

Because we have neglected to post a guard, harmful influences have been allowed into our homes.  Media is one Trojan horse through which the enemy has craftily passed through our gates.  

The rising statistics show us the harsh truth.

We have desensitized our children with the things we have allowed them to listen to and watch. 

A recent survey produced these results:  By the time a child graduates from high school, they will have seen over 200,000 acts of violence, including 40,000 murders.

According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the troublesome lyrics of some teen music:

• Advocate and glamorize the abuse of drugs or alcohol
• Present suicide as a “solution”
• Display graphic violence (Music Videos)
• Describe harmful sexual practices, incest, and a devaluing of women

At one time, pornography could only be found in magazine form, geared to men.  But now, it is easily found in store catalogues, fashion magazines, on the internet and in TV commercials.  Media uses the bodies of our young girls to sell anything from a soda to a car! It has brought pornography into our homes, causing damage to our girls and especially to our boys. 

With the way the “acceptability line” of society and media continues to move, it would seem that line is drawn in chalk.  On the flip side, we need to also recognize the slippery nature of the slope of controlling media content.  We do not want to open the door of censorship, for that too would lead us down a very ugly road.

Not all media is evil or wrong. 

In fact, we can use media for moral and spiritual teaching moments.  But as parents, we need to teach our kids how to make right media choices.

For this reason, my husband and I must choose to be guardians of the gates of our home. 

We are responsible for what is allowed through the gates.

And not just the physical gates of my front door, but also through the “eye” gates, “ear” gates, and “mouth” gates of each family member. (1 John 2:16)

What is the litmus test for things allowed through the gates of our homes and individual lives?

 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”   Philippians 4:8 (ESV)

Nothing should pass through our gate that doesn’t first pass the Philippians 4:8 test.

Does that become more and more challenging as media pushes the envelope?

Does it become more challenging as our kids grow? 

Is it overwhelming with today’s technology, where cell phones can access the internet as easily as a home computer, making it difficult for parents to post a guard?

Yes, but that doesn’t mean I stop guarding nor does it mean I stop doing the work. 

As parents, we need to know, to the best of our ability, who our children’s friends are (including their FB friends and MySpace friends), the books they are reading, the lyrics of the music they are listening to, what sites they are visiting on the internet, and what they are watching on TV.

Why?

It is our God-given responsibility to guard against wrong influences being let into our home and into the lives of our children. 

That takes work.  

Will it be met with resistance?

Of course!

Thinking of my own teenage years, at seventeen I often was not allowed to participate in some of my friends’ activities, or listen to the same music, or watch the things they watched.  Admittedly, there were times I didn’t exactly “like” my parents when they stood their ground as guardians.

However, in retrospect (especially once I became a parent!) I appreciate that my parents acted as proper guardians.  I am who I am today, because my parents took seriously their role as protectors of their home.

Know Your Enemy.

Contrary to popular belief, the devil isn’t red with pointy ears, tail and pitch fork.

He is a fallen angel.  He is very beautiful. 

He is also a crafty liar.  He doesn’t attack in ways that are obviously evil. 

Satan didn’t tempt Eve with rotten, unappealing fruit!  Neither will he tempt us or our children with things that aren’t appealing.  He even adds a tiny thread of truth to his beautiful package so that we can justify allowing the Trojan horse through our gates. 

What is a Trojan horse?

Something that appears desirable and innocent but actually contains something harmful. Something used to subvert from within. (Today we use the term for computer viruses.)

In Greek mythology, the Trojan War lasted many years, as the Greeks could not penetrate the heavily barricaded city of Troy. That is…until Greece came up with a crafty plan. 

The Greek soldiers brought the people of Troy a large wooden horse and tricked them into thinking it was just a peace offering.  The Trojans accepted it and moved it inside the city walls. Once inside the walls and under the cover of darkness, the enemy emerged from hiding inside the horse. They opened the gates for the rest of the Greek armies to swarm into the city, slaughtered all the Trojan men, forced the women and children into slavery, and destroyed the “impenetrable” city of Troy.

The moral of the story?

 BEWARE OF A TROJAN HORSE!

Let one slip past your gates and you will find your home destroyed and your family bound in slavery.

As parents, our God-appointed job is to provide guidance, protection and care for our children (teens included!) until they move out from the walls of our home. (Proverbs 29:15)

Is it time to reclaim your post?

 “The character of your children tomorrow depend on what you put into their hearts today” Daily Bread, 2003

“Never stop praying, especially for others” Ephesians 6:18a (CEV)

In order to build strong homes in 2010, we need to start with a foundation made out of spiritual bricks (biblical principles). 

Giving Jesus leadership in our lives and homes is the cornerstone brick. 

The next vital brick is – PRAYER.  

What is Prayer?

Simply, prayer is talking with God.  It is not a one way conversation where we simply list off all our desires, like a child sitting on Santa‘s knee, expecting him to grant them all.  It is a conversation.  God speaks, we listen, we speak and God listens to our hearts.

Prayer can be exciting, powerful and fulfilling.  However, upon our salvation we were not zapped with a lightning bolt from heaven, giving us an instantaneous desire to be in the Word and to pray.  Prayer is a discipline that must be learned by doing!

 We can be motivated with the desire to pray but do we actually pray?

What was Nehemiah’s first response, upon hearing about the poor condition of Jerusalem’s walls?  He turned to God.  Over and over again, throughout his life we see that prayer was always Nehemiah’s first action… and reaction.   Nehemiah built the walls of Jerusalem on a foundation of prayer.

How should we pray?

1)  Always.

In the middle of stressful moments, Nehemiah prayed quick, short prayers (Neh 2:4, 4:4-5, 4:9, 6:9, 13:14, 22, 29, 31).  However, those “SOS” prayers did not make up his entire prayer life.  Nehemiah also practised praying and fasting for lengthy periods of time. (Neh 1:5 -11, 9:6-37).   

We need a quiet place to go each day to spend time with God and pray.    It is a place where we can go and get away from the noise of life and meet with God. 

Yet, we also can pray as we drive (with eyes open!) the kids to school each morning, while we are standing in a checkout line, walking the dog, or working away at the office.  The wonderful thing about prayer is that it can be practised anywhere!  We just have to choose to do it!

 2)  With the right focus.

If the only reason I am going to God is to get my spouse and my kids to conform to “MY” will, then I have the wrong focus.

The purpose of prayer is to seek God’s will!  In all things!   At all times!

3)  Be specific.

Most of us pray, but we are not specific in our requests.  “God be with my kids today” is certainly prayer, but how much more effective would our prayer be if we prayed for the specific needs of our household, children, and family members? (John 14:12-14)

I have individual prayer lists for my husband, son and daughter.  In regard to my children, each list is geared toward a specific child, with only a few prayer items the same as on their sibling’s list.  I need to know my child’s individual needs if I am going to be a proper prayer warrior on their part.  Of course, the list changes as prayers are answered and other needs come up.

4)  Believing, prayer brings power.

When we pray for our parents, husbands, siblings, kids, and churches, it isn’t so that our power will be unleashed.

Prayer unleashes the very presence and power of God in you, your home, your marriage, your spouse and your kids!   When we bow before Him, recognizing that we can do nothing without Him, His power begins to work through our powerlessness!   

Nehemiah recognized that God is always in control, even amid those tipsy turvey, hair-pulling moments of life.  He confidently rested in the power of prayer and he used it!  Remarkably, in fifty-two days Nehemiah rebuilt walls that had lain in ruin for over a hundred years, all because he believed in, and practised the power of prayer! (Neh 6:15)

 God’s power transforms the impossible into the possible!

5) With persistence.

The hardest thing about prayer is that we can’t always see with our physical eyes, that it is working.  We pray and pray to God but things do not change.   Weary in praying, we give up.

However, God’s Word is clear; His power is working even when we can’t see it!  (James 5:16)

Therefore, God urges us to never give up!  (Matt 7:7-8) 

This verse, in the original Greek language, actually says, “Seek and keep on seeking…Knock and keep on knocking.”

WHY?

Persistent prayer brings change. It does not change God, but it does change us.  

It purifies our motives. 

It changes our mood, tudes (attitudes) and helps us see things from a heavenly perspective.

It makes our will conform to His will and way.  

It expresses, and reminds, about our total daily dependence on God.

Thus, it is vital that we not only pray but that we also persevere with our prayers. We must practise the P.U.S.H method!

Pray Until Something Happens!

We may not get the answer we want immediately, but we must keep asking and keep believing.  God will answer in His time!

Prayer IS  fighting the battle!

The enemy doesn’t want you to pray.  He has a plan to kill and destroy you, your home, and your family.  The only weapon that causes him and his demons to tremble is prayer.   He also knows that if we use verses from scripture in our prayers, claiming them for our homes, then our weapon against him becomes invincible! 

 So, who do you think discourages you from praying when the answers do not come?

 Who do you think keeps you busy so that you have little time to pray?

Prayer needs to become as important to us as breathing if we are going to win the battle for our families.  We need to make it a priority in our lives – not just popcorn prayers, but set aside times of prayer as well.  

We can change a life, a home, a school…if we obey and pray!

 “Prayer does not equip us for greater work.  Prayer is the greater work!” Oswald Chambers