Pray for Families (Transformative Prayer)

Dear Prayer Warriors,

You, more than anyone, know how transformative prayer can be. Not just for those being prayed for, but also for those praying. So when I discovered this beautiful scripture passage, I wanted to share it with you. I hope it warms your heart. Pray for your earthly family and the entire Body of Christ. I have added plural pronouns (second parentheses) so that these verses will more easily flow as a prayer for the family.

Dear Lord, I place my entire family at your feet. (Name them.)

"I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen (you) (them) with power through his Spirit in (your) (their) inner being, so that Christ may dwell in (your) (their) hearts through faith. And I pray that (you) (they), being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that (you) (they) may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Eph 3:14-19

AMEN!

I just prayed this for all of you. I believe in the power of prayer. Let's pray this prayer all weekend long, asking that families be transformed as we pray this prayer of love.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Transform a life. Pray for them, then invite them to prayer.

Pray for Marriages (Christ-centered)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

In our society, it seems marriage is becoming more and more disposable. It seems to be in sync with the views on religion—it’s just not that necessary. Either people avoid marriage/religion or they break it off when they disagree with their spouse/religion. They believe that they can always find another one that is even better than the previous.

What is wrong with this picture?!

Marriage and religion have become weak because many people no longer put Christ at the center, but rather themselves.

Apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

Let us pray and ask the Lord that there be an outpouring of wisdom and understanding on marriages, resulting in both spouses turning to Him for guidance and strength.

In him all things hold together. Col 1:17

May the fruit of this prayer be that all marriages in need, through Christ’s love and endless mercy, be be rewoven into a beautiful union. In turn, may they then become a beacon of hope to countless others.

Peace, Joy, and Love,
Janet

Each and every prayer is heard. Recruit another voice.

Pray for Families (A gift)

Dear Prayer Angels,

Today let us give thanks for family.

No matter how much we love them or how much we disagree, no matter what our commonalities or differences are, when hardships or heartache arises, they are our gift from God.

How often are they our lifeboat, our teddy bear, our crying towel, or our rock? We are placed in a family to be a support to one another and to share our joys and sorrows.

May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you! Psalm 67:4

So let us praise God for such an awesome gift! And then let us continue to boldly ask the Lord to build up families and fortify them against worldly assaults.

Peace, Joy, and Love,
Janet

Fortify families with prayer. Pass this on.

Pray for Marriages (Judging)

Dearest Prayer Warriors,

Your email inboxes saw a reprieve from my blog last week, but I hope the Spirit still stirred you into praying for marriages and families.

Have you noticed that hardly a week can pass without you hearing of a marriage in trouble? That is why all of you are so cherished, because marriages are desperately in need of your prayer.

While doing some vacation reading, the following quote jumped off the page at me.

If you take the time to judge, you don’t have time to love.
~Blessed Mother Teresa

If one is busy judging it interferes with their ability to connect with that person. This harmful attitude can stem from self-righteousness as well as that deadly sin, pride. As a result one’s heart becomes damaged and it affects their ability to love as Christ loved.

So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma. Eph 5:1-2

If you are married, do a self-examination of your own marriage. If you are single, chose the marriage of a couple in need, and pray for them this week. As always pray unceasingly.

May the blessing of the Lord be with you each day.

Peace, Joy, and Love,
Janet

Challenge a friend to stop the judging and turn to love. Forward to a friend.

Pray for Families (Forgiveness)

Greetings Prayer Warriors!

Summer means lots of family time. When togetherness starts to feel like sandpaper, it’s time to smooth things over with a little forgiveness. It is a long word that is often difficult to implement, especially in families where opportunity abounds. One might admit that sometimes holding a grudge feels good, although fleetingly. A lack of forgiveness eventually becomes the sandpaper in one’s own life. It will separate, create conflict, and perpetuate anger.

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:27-28. 36

The Lord calls us to forgive, because He forgives us and wants to show us the depth of His mercy. Can we be any less merciful toward those seeking forgiveness from us?

Contemplate what Christ might say to you.

Avoid feelings of anger and animosity and instead look upon those who hurt you with loving eyes.

Those prone to evil need love. Hate would only become the fuel for more evil.

Pardon disarms revenge.

A person’s armor is discarded when love prevails.

When I show my love to you, do you not then break down the wall you put between us?


Make forgiveness a family road trip. You might discover an unanticipated oasis.

Peace, Joy, and Love,
Janet

Invite others on the road trip of prayer and forgiveness. http://simplyinspiredprayer.blogspot.com/

Pray for Marriages (Finding Freedom)

Happy Independence Day Prayer Warriors!

True freedom lies in the surrendering of oneself to the will of God.

And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. Leviticus 25:1

Be free, yet without using freedom as a pretext for evil, but as slaves of God. 1Peter 2:16

Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed - else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die. ~Dwight D. Eisenhower

For you were called for freedom, brothers. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love. For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Galations 5: 13-1

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Cor 3:17

True Freedom, begins and ends in love. Love your spouse. Pray for marriages.

Peace, Joy, and Love,
Janet

Surrender to freedom. http://simplyinspiredprayer.blogspot.com/

Pray for Families (Love as the Mortar)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

I came across this gem and had to share it (bold added by me), because it really brings light to why we pray for families every Friday.

“All that you succeed in doing to support the family is destined to have an effectiveness 
that goes beyond its own sphere and reaches other people too, and has an effect on society. 
 The future of the world and of the church passes through the family.” Pope John Paul II-Familiaris Consortio

This is something to really contemplate.

If the future of the world passes through the family, and in our society families are breaking down at an alarming rate, God is being erased from education, and morality is no longer being taught, what does the future hold?

God created families to be foundational and secure. Family members are to be present to one another, sharing their time, talents, and treasure. Love shared within the family reflects the love God has for each of us. It is through the unconditional, selfless love experienced in the family that we first come to know and understand what God truly is – Love. We are to be His reflection to each other so that each family member can experience the love of God and then take that light out into the world.

If one doesn’t experience love in the family, and can’t share what they didn’t receive, will there be a loss of love in society – a loss of God?

God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. 1 John 4:16

Prayer is our most effective weapon against the breakdown of the family, and for the future of our society. Warriors, grab your weapon!

Heavenly Father, may our love be the mortar to each family stone that you lay. Strengthen us in our love, so that we may reinforce all that we build upon the foundation that is you. Patch up for us what has crumbled. Help us recover the missing stones. In your mercy, rebuild each family, become our cornerstone so that we may become a source of your love and a beacon of your light throughout the world. For this we humbly pray. Amen.

Peace, Joy, and Love,
Janet

Invite a warrior to pray. Pass it on.