JUICY JULY 2020
DAY 20
PROGRAMME THEME: KNOCKING ON HEAVEN’S DOOR
THEME FOR THE DAY: KNOCKING ON HEAVEN’S DOOR FOR A STRONGER, MORE BEAUTIFUL MARRIAGE (for the married)
TEXT: JAMES 1: 17
BIBLE STUDY: JUDGES 9
OUR SONG FOR TODAY:
FIGHT FOR OUR MARRIAGE by Joyce Im Bartholomew
V1:
Fairytale unfolds with faithful hearts
Covenant made “til death do us part”
Honeymoon years were full of dreams
Moonlit strolls holding hands by the sea
V2:
Our family of two doubled into four
Teenage years turned our house into war
We collapsed from the stress of life
And our bond began to divide
Pre-Ch:
When times get tough
We won’t give up
Chorus:
Our marriage is forever
Through fair and stormy weather
Vows must be cherished
Let’s fight for our marriage
Yeah, let’s fight
Fight for our marriage
V3:
Hurts slowly built into thick walls
But forgiveness made them fall
Changing each other was not the key
Love and acceptance set us free
Pre-Ch:
Same as above
Chorus:
Same as above EXCEPT NO LAST LINE
Bridge:
Struggle makes us stronger
Makes our love last longer
What God has joined together
Won’t….be….broken
Struggle makes us stronger
Makes our love last longer
What God has joined together
Won’t be broken, but made better
Chorus:
End
WATCH BELOW:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SUcsF2J9J9U
LISTEN BELOW:
It is no secret, the sanctity of the Christian family is under threat. The danger of this is that when the family is destroyed, children are raised in brokenness. Outside of redemption, a broken child will become a broken adult. A broken adult will, in turn, raise his own broken children. The cycle continues to come back until it is broken. The only way this can be undone is through prayer for family.
The bible says “It is only the anointing that breaks the yoke.” Our prayer points for the family today will direct you into the right places as you seek to release God’s anointing into all your affairs.
God forbid that your family would be broken. Prayer is the key to changing our homes. How do you think the prayer of Jabez impacted his entire family? It is through prayer that we can begin to foster transformation. Let us enhance family prayer. Not just any prayer, but prayer with scripture about family. There is power in praying the Word!
Spending forever with someone who is different from you is not quite a walk in the park. It has its ups and downs, its highs and lows.
There is disagreement, then agreement. There is breaking, then making.
Marriage can be incredibly hard but when handled right, it is incredibly beautiful. This is why prayers for marriage matter.
Praying for your marriage is one of the most rewarding things you can do for your relationship.
If you make prayer a priority and not an option, then handling a lot of issues will be much easier.
I know first hand that prayer makes a marriage stronger. When I pray for my marriage, I gain clarity. I find peace. My faith in God is strengthened.
The place of prayer humbles me. It helps me let go and let God. It helps me speak life into my marriage.
Our marriages have an enemy. The enemy who wants to steal, kill and destroy, wants to devour your marriage.
The most powerful weapon you have is prayer.You can not fight a spiritual battle using physical tactics.
It is funny how easy it is to quarrel with your spouse, rather than ‘quarrel’ with God in the place of prayer.
Or how easy it is to complain to a friend or family member rather than ‘complain’ to God. Or how it is easy to worry about issues rather than pray about them.
What if we turned all the quarrels, complaints and worries into prayers?
I’ll encourage us to pray these prayers because prayers are powerful. Prayers make a difference.
Pray from a place of faith, not fear. If you are single, equally pray them for your would-be marriage.
SHALL WE NOW PRAY?
Begin by asking God to forgive you for every sin then pray passionately.
ARE YOU READY?
_FATHER, THANK YOU FOR THE SPOUSE YOU HAVE BLESSED ME WITH._
“Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.” (James 1: 17, NLT)
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NLT)
_FATHER, HELP ME TO BE FORGIVING AND TOLERANT TOWARDS MY HUSBAND._
“Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” (Colossians 3:13, NLT)
_FATHER, TEACH ME TO LOVE MY SPOUSE UNCONDITIONALLY_
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (I Corinthians 13:4-7)
_FATHER, MAY MY SPOUSE FULFILL YOUR PLAN FOR HIS LIFE._
“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5, NLT)
_MAY MY SPOUSE AND I SEEK YOU FIRST BEFORE ANY OTHER THING._
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:33, NLT)
“But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)
_TEACH US TO DEPEND ON YOUR POWER THROUGH EVERY DIFFICULT MOMENT WE FACE TOGETHER_
“I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him.” (Ephesians 1:19, NLT)
_LORD HELP ME BRIDLE MY TONGUE AND NOT SAY HURTFUL THINGS TO MY SPOUSE._
“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Colossians 4;6, ESV)
_LORD HELP, MY SPOUSE AND I TO NOT YIELD TO ANY TEMPTATION THAT MAY COME OUR WAY._
“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (1 Corinthians 10:13, NLT)
_LORD, SEPARATE MY SPOUSE AND ME FROM EVERY EVIL COMPANY._
“Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” (1 Corinthians 15:33, ESV)
_MAY YOUR PEACE REIGN IN OUR HOME._
“Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7, NLT)
IN JESUS NAME WE HAVE PRAYED. AMEN.
SING THIS SONG BELOW AS WE MOVE TO THE OTHER PART OF THE PRAYERS:
I have no power of my own
I have no power of my own
I confess to You Holy Spirit of God
I have no power of my own.
_Pray for godly leadership_
Based on Ephesians 5:23, pray that your husband is strengthened and encouraged to be the head of your home.
“Lord, your Word says that my husband is to be the head of our home. Give him a heart that desires to seek You, and to be led by Your Word as he leads our family. I pray that he would seek Your wisdom in decisions to make. I ask that he would listen for Your guidance in every detail of our home life. Put men in his life who will hold him to a standard of holiness as he leads our family. Help him to eagerly seek to learn and grow in You, and to lead from a heart that is wholly devoted to You.”
_Pray for submission to godly leadership_
Ephesians 5:22 and 24 tell us that we as wives are to submit to our husband as to the Lord. No, it’s not the most popular word in our culture today; but it’s in scripture. Scripture also teaches mutual submission to one another, so if you are a male reading this, you don’t get a pass!
“Heavenly Father, I admit that the idea of submission can seem so divisive. I long to know and understand Your plan for submitting to my husband. Help me not to be swayed by our culture, but to seek to follow Your Word and to be the wife that my husband needs. Soften my heart, and take away any spirit of argument in my life. Use my relationship with my husband to mold me into a woman who seeks You eagerly and learns to submit to Your plans for my life.”
_Pray for your spouse’s relationship with the Lord_
Deuteronomy 4:29 and Matthew 6:33 remind us of the importance of seeking the Lord as individuals.
“Dear Lord, my marriage is important, but our relationship with You is vital. Give each of us a heart that longs to seek You first. While we long to honor each other and our marriage, help us to realize that a relationship with You is the foundation of a successful marriage. Help us to support this relationship in each other’s life, and to allow time for each of us to wholeheartedly seek you, knowing that as we each spend time with You, we will grow together in our marriage.”
_Pray for your marriage bed_
In I Corinthians 7:3-4, Paul tells us how important the marriage bed is in a Christian marriage.
“Lord, I long for a deep and intimate relationship with my husband. Clear our hearts and minds of any level of discomfort as we seek ways to have a better sex life by Your design. I pray that You would give us unity as we focus on growing in this part of our relationship. Give us a desire for each other, and help us to commit to make the marriage bed a priority in our marriage.”
_Pray for your communication_
James 1:19-20 gives us a very clear overview of the importance of communication with others.
“I admit, Father, that I am not always quick to listen. I admit that I often enter communication with my husband with my own agenda, or believing that my opinion is correct. Oh, Lord, give me a heart that is open to listen, to truly hear what my husband is saying. Give me wisdom as I speak, that my words would be seasoned with grace. Help us to learn to control our emotions as we discuss matters, and to avoid anger or other divisive emotions.”
_Pray for a heart that seeks the other’s best_
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10a reminds us that we are in this together.
“Heavenly Father, help me to see my spouse as a treasured gift. We are in this marriage together, and we are both at our best when we are strong and whole. Give me a heart to seek my husband’s best. Help me learn to anticipate his needs and to do all I can to meet those needs. Help me to remember that rest is as important for him as it is for me. I ask that You will help me to encourage him, and to treat with kindness and graciousness, seeking his best.”
_Pray for a heart that is willing to offer forgiveness_
Colossians 3:13 encourages us to bear with each other and Psalm 103:12 gives us a beautiful example of God’s forgiveness.
“Oh, Lord, it can be so hard to forgive sometimes. My sinful nature and my pride want to keep account of the wrongs done against me. But this is not your nature, Father. You remind us that our sins are forgiven, and are cast as far as the east is from the west. So when my husband does wrong against me, help me to forgive him. Help me to be as quick to forgive him as You are to forgive me, and help me to let go of the wrong. Give me grace to cast it aside, and to not pick it up again. I pray that my husband would be filled with grace in the times that I sin and bring hurt and shame to him as well. Make us more like You, Lord.”
_Pray against temptation_
I Thessalonians 4:3-6 gives us guidelines and boundaries to protect against temptation.
“Heavenly Father, I long for my husband and I to draw closer to each other. I long for a relationship that models Your love for the church, but I know how easy it is to fall into temptation. Guide us as we establish healthy boundaries that promote our growth as a couple, but which shield us from temptation. When we are faced with temptation, please provide a way out and help us to run to escape. Help us to avoid any appearance of evil, and to act in such a manner that our spouse will not have any reason to question our behavior.”
_Pray for favor in the workplace_
While both you and your spouse may work outside the home, this prayer is geared towards praying for your husband. Please feel free to tailor it to your own situation.
Based on I Corinthians 10:31, pray that your husband does everything for the glory of God.
“Lord Jesus, my husband works hard to provide for our family. I pray that You would give him a strong work ethic, and that You would give him favor as he works for your glory. Thank You for his desire to provide for us. I pray that as he works, he will remember that You are a God who sees all he does. Help his interactions to be full of truth; remove any temptation to sin or to get ahead by any means that is not holy. Please reward him as he diligently seeks You in his work.”
_Pray for ongoing commitment to the marriage_
Genesis 2:24 is a reminder that we are to leave our families of birth and cleave to our spouse.
“Heavenly Father, I wish to always have a desire for my husband and for our marriage. I realize, though, that there are times that marriage is hard. We disagree, or we are faced with outside circumstances that threaten to drive a wedge in our relationship. In those times, help us to remember that we entered into a covenant with You and with each other. Don’t let us take that lightly, Lord. When times are tough, help us to lean in to You and to each other. Give me a heart that is fully committed to my husband, even in the hardest times.
CONTINUE TO PRAY AS THE LORD HELPS YOU.
SING SONGS OF TOTAL SURRENDER TO THE LORD. MAY THE LORD ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS, AMEN!
