For Americans to respect and honor their parents, No. 2

*** That Americans would respect and honor their parents.

Exodus 20:12
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Please pray with me:

Father in heaven:
How excellent is Your Name over all the earth! You are gracious and loving towards Your children. Your love is perfect and nurtures us to live lives of peace and spiritual prosperity. Your love is always in our best interest. You are the perfect loving Father. Thank You for Your example and for Your Word. You show us and Your Word guides us so we can remain in the order that You designed.

You have commanded us to respect and honor our parents that social order may be maintained and that we may prosper. Thank You. Sometimes Your Word seems confining. Where You bring freedom, we tend to see restraints. Forgive us.

May children treasure their grandparents as they see the honor and respect of their parents towards them. May adults treat their elderly parents with great love, honor, respect and tenderness. Hold them strong here—especially when disease causes relationships to be challenging.

Father, please establish relationships between husbands and wives that honor You and want to honor You. Bind them by Your Holy Spirit, so that they unite before Your throne of grace on behalf of their marriage and their children. In turn, may they be protected from the influences that war against us.

Please protect husbands that they resist the temptation to provoke their wives or children to anger and frustration. Secure their minds and hearts that any temptation is cast out. Grant them patience, long-suffering and understanding. Give them respectful, helpful and loving responses to direct their children in the way in which they should live.

Father, You are the Author of marriage. May it be sacred in our nation again. Cause married couples to demonstrate over and over again to those around them—the benefits of the social order that You established. May the "researchers" continually find and report that marriage, as You define it, establishes a successful society. Father, cause the marriages that honor You to be Your messengers to those who doubt.

You have commanded husbands to love their wives and to honor them. You have commanded wives to respect and honor their husbands. You have established roles so that families can flourish and thrive. May the obedience of married couples be so powerful, that children gravitate to this model and it becomes locked into their hopes for and the very reality of their future.

May the obedience of parents to Your Word inspire children to be obedient to their parents. May the respect that parents demonstrate in the home —towards You, be embraced by their children so that the respect for their parents is a natural and embraced way of living.

May the successful relationships between parents and their children become personal habits that are unquestioned.

Help us, that we may stand strong and that we may be found faithful in the day of His coming.

In Jesus’ Name.

Please also consider this prayer: For Americans to respect and honor their parents, No. 1.
http://ernestprays.blogspot.com/2016/09/for-americans-to-respect-and-honor.html"

***This prayer is based on the encouragement and guidance from Intercessors for America. These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of Intercessors for America. These are published in good faith and for general information purpose only. Please consider joining this army of prayer warriors. Consider visiting their website to learn more. http://ifapray.org/

For Americans to respect and honor their parents, No. 1

***That Americans would respect and honor their parents.

Exodus 20:12
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Please pray with me:

Heavenly Father,
You are the Creator, the Most High God, and the God of order. You have set Your order in the heavens and given us Your Word that clearly defines the order that You have set in place. Thank You. Your order brings balance to the earth. Your perfect design gives us order; it gives us the seasons, as well as a hierarchy for our daily living. Thank You.

In Your order You have given parents a special place of honor; and You have mandated that we should honor them. You have not given us any exceptions to this. You have clearly laid down the commandment on this matter. Thank You. This must be so important, since You immediately included a blessing for us if we follow Your commandment.

Father, we aren't so good at following Your commandments. We desire our own way. We don't like to be confined. Truly, we are rebellions. Forgive us for preferring our own freedom to the safety and blessings that You offer.

Father, because we have chosen not to honor our parents, we defy authority. This disrupts our society at its core. We defy and rebel against the immediate authority of "father and mother" and continue our defiance to disrespect our teachers in school and on to defy the laws of this nation. Forgive us.

There are so many ways that we have corrupted Your order. We have redefined "family" and departed from Your order. Our public officials have become corrupt and defied Your laws, using their power for their personal agendas. We have not prayer for them. Please forgive us. Teach us to pray for them, and grant them an open heart to turn to You. Show us the path to re-establish the system that You have put in place. Raise up those who believe in You to establish their family order. May fathers and mothers act in accordance with Your Word. May children, of all ages, desire to be respectful. May fathers and mothers be responsible to You with regard to their behavior in the home and establish a safe place for their families to grow in Your Word.

May respect for You grow exponentially so that fathers love their wives and families as Christ sacrificially loves the church. Open the eyes of wives and children (again, of ALL ages), to respect their parents that there would be a domino effect. As parents respect and honor their parents (even if they are deceased), that their children would, in kind, respect them.

Father, please help us to build families that are "tight-knit!"...communities where Your love is established and is the foundation whereby parents are honored. May these families be pillars of a new beginning for our nation and stand as a foundation and testimony to re-build our society from the ground up.

Help us, that we may stand strong and that we may be found faithful in the day of His coming.

In Jesus’ Name.

Please also consider this prayer: For Americans to respect and honor their parents, No. 2.
http://ernestprays.blogspot.com/2016/12/for-americans-to-respect-and-honor.html"

***This prayer is based on the encouragement and guidance from Intercessors for America. These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of Intercessors for America. These are published in good faith and for general information purpose only. Please consider joining this army of prayer warriors. Consider visiting their website to learn more. http://ifapray.org/

Prayers for the Sanctity of Life: No. 7 of 7

***Deciding Birth Parents

Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Please pray with me:
Father in Heaven, Lord Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit,
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. Praise and glory belong to You for You are worthy to be praised. You are the Giver of life. You are the Redeemer, the Sanctifier, and You are the Author of our faith. In You is Life everlasting. Praise and glory to You alone. Thank You for Life. In Your love, You created us. Thank You. You pour out Your judgement as a sign of Your care for us. Thank You. You have defined the parameters of what is safe for us, what is healthy, and You have provided Your Word so we can know how to live—in health and safety. Thank You. And You go much further! You show the path to joy and gladness and provide guidelines regarding relationships with You and with others—that our joy may be complete. Thank You.

Father, we rebel. We want what we want when we want. Forgive us. So often, we don’t think of the ramifications of our actions until our relationship with You has been harmed. Yet, in Your everlasting kindness and mercy, yes, in Your grace, You have provided a way back into fellowship: confess and repent….and in that moment, You restore us. And You provide Your Holy Spirit to grow us and to help us desire deeper relationship with You. Thank You.

The birth of child is such a momentous time. A new life. Surely it is self-evident that children and the process of conception is from You. Life is from You. The “miracle” of life…how can we not know that You are a loving, caring God? Perhaps we choose not to acknowledge You. Father, so many couples don’t see how a child in their lives can be possible. The weight ad responsibility is overwhelming and seemingly impossible.

And our nation has made abortion acceptable…oh please forgive us. Bring us to repentance. Cause us to gather as a nation and provide the support needed for those conceived children, that there would be known alternatives.

Father, Planned Parenthood…I am so sorry, that I have not prayed more for the movement, the people that work there, the organization. I am so sorry. Father, they have become the “go to” place for those with unwanted children. Where is the counterpart? Where are the other alternatives? Cause an exodus from this organization: not just for pregnant women, but for the people who work at Planned Parenthood. So many of these people need the income. May all of them become advocates for life. May all of them—every person who works there have a change of heart. Drive them from the facility. May they all call out to You and find help for their needs and a clear path to leave this organization. May it dry up and wither away. Please show us our part to eradicate this blight on our nation.

May we become a nation that celebrates life! Father, raise up prayer warriors on this matter. Give us a welcoming heart in place of our judgement. May we have an unlimited joy that is so inviting that people come to us and desire to know the root of our joy.

This week of prayers ends, but may the prayers never end until we become a nation that celebrates life. Show us the path. Please keep this matter alive in our hearts and prayers. Keep us diligent on this matter as we go through our week. As we see a mother and infant, may we be reminded of the Sanctity of Life and remember You, the Giver of life, and may we continue our prayers for those are making decisions, to have the support they need choose life.

In Jesus’ Name.

***These prayers are based on the encouragement and guidance from Intercessors for America. These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of Intercessors for America. This prayer was inspired by guest writer, Barbara Durham, a NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) nurse, a graduate of Talbot Seminary in La Mirada, CA, and a guest writer for IFA. These are published in good faith and for general information purpose only. Please consider joining this army of prayer warriors. Consider visiting their website to learn more. http://ifapray.org/

Prayers for the Sanctity of Life: No. 5 of 7

***A Call to Discipleship: Be Angry, Sin Not, Live Creatively

Gal. 6:1-3
1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
5 For every man shall bear his own burden.

Please pray with me:

Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the opportunity to come before You and know that You hear our prayers. Thank You, that though You be Judge, You are also filled with mercy. You are gracious. Thank You.

Father, we are so filled with judgement. We see the act of abortion and judge it as murder. We uphold our frustration that we cannot impact the situation of the unborn child and often unleash judgement on the mother, the people who perform these heinous acts, and our nation that has condoned it. Yet, we have not gone deeper. Forgive us.

We often judged and disparaged the mother, without knowing her circumstances or pressures. We have not come alongside those who are contemplating abortion to help them in their time of great duress. Forgive us. Some have tried to come alongside those considering abortion. Thank You. Up-gird them, may there be an unending army of caring, loving individuals to extend Your grace and warmth, and Your love of life to these people.

Make us all lovers of life! Jesus, You said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” May we be lovers of life. …of You. Give us creativity to identify alternative solutions to abortion. Would you raise up an army of people to adopt these children? Would You move in the hearts of those who feel like their life is inconvenienced by a child, and change their hearts? Would you make us, as a nation, lovers of children and caretakers? Would You change our hearts? Would You create a means to change the laws that allow this to happen?

Father, raise us up. Give us voice. Holy Spirit, work within us to speak boldly (and without judgement) about this matter. Let us not be silent (and let us not judge). Show us a path to receive those involved and to find individual solutions for them! Help those considering abortion, those performing them, those who promote abortion—help them all to seek alternatives. Open their eyes and hearts to seek alternatives. Humble us all on this matter, that we may come together to find Your path.

Holy Spirit, help us, who are quick to judge, to recognize that we are all sinners. Give us humbled hearts, full of compassion. Grant us words of grace and tenderness of touch as we reach out to others on this matter.

One alternative is the family. I pray for the American Family. Strengthen families. I come boldly and ask this. May families treasure each other. Grant them family time. Time to build relationships and time to create lasting, precious memories to carry their love for each other in their hearts.

Father, open the eyes of this who are without family - that they may desire to be a part of one. Help us to elevate the “family” in our priorities. May our family take on greater import in our lives as a place of refuge and of love. May Your Word be elevated and read as a family. May they memorize it together and may it bind them tightly to You and to each other. And grant us a desire to preserve family and honor You in doing so.

Father, Lord Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit, we need You. We need Your touch, Your truth, Your strength, Your grace. Show us the way, that we may be found faithful when we stand before You.

In Jesus’ Name.

***These prayers are based on the encouragement and guidance from Intercessors for America. These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of Intercessors for America. Today’s prayer is fashioned after DR. ALVEDA KING’s devotion. He is a pastoral associate with Priests for Life and founder of King for America. To learn more about her work, please visit: www.priestsforlife.com. These prayers are published in good faith and for general information purpose only. Please consider joining this army of prayer warriors. Consider visiting their website to learn more. http://ifapray.org/

For our Families, God’s Word and Worship

***That families would read their Bibles and attend worship services together.

Colossians 3:2
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Please pray with me:

Heavenly Father,
Thank You for this day and thank You for Your Word. Thank You that You receive us and that Your Word tells us so. Thank You that You are the True Living God.

Our nation has trusted in ourselves rather that You. We have trusted in our own words and judgement and turned away from Your Word. Forgive us. It has not worked and we are still hungry for truth, thirsty for justice. We have not been able to fill the emptiness within us. Thank You.

Father, grant us a desire to connect with You and to know what You have for us. Plant within us that this need to connect with You and direct us to Your Living Word. Open our eyes to Your Word and may we delight in the messages that You have for us. Open our understanding that what we see may be relevant. May Your Word draw us in and hold us fascinated that the God of all creation has sent us a message. Show each individual that it is personally for them.

You created families. Thank You. May they be drawn together with Your Word as the center. Unite families through Your Word. May there be games of memorization, enjoyment in reciting, proclaiming, and simply loving You through the Bible. Establish patterns and habits within us to daily seek You through the Bible.

Father, the world summons us, and does so with great tenacity. Help us to prioritize our thinking so that the things above take precedent over the things on earth. Life draws us in, but so does the enemy. Give us discernment.

Jesus, You fought temptation with Scripture. Thank You for Your example. Holy Spirit, show us how learn and memorize Your Word to fight temptation. May it be so sweet in our hearts and minds that we love You, love Your Word and are drawn to obedience so strongly that we disengage from anything that prevents us from coming before You daily.

Through You Word, may we find Your holiness. May it be mesmerizing. May we be fixated on Your wonder, Your purity and Your love for us, and may it bring us to worship. Show us the path to be excited to worship the Most High God. May families be strengthened by reading the Bible together, and worship You as a family. May this be a part of their identity that they value and may it be established as a life long habit that never wanes.

In Jesus’ Name.

***These prayers are based on the encouragement and guidance from Intercessors for America. These prayers are my own and the content does not reflect the philosophy or policies of Intercessors for America. These are published in good faith and for general information purpose only. Please consider joining this army of prayer warriors. Consider visiting their website to learn more. http://ifapray.org/