Ephesians 5:20
... giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Psalm 103:2
 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
 And forget not all His benefits:

Someone once said that “gratitude is the memory of a glad heart.” Gratitude is just not thankfulness for the moment, like when one receives a Christmas or birthday present. Gratitude is an attitude of the heart. A glad heart. But how can one have a heart of joy and gladness? The 'secret', I think, lies in recalling, in remembering all that the Lord has done for us. He has given us salvation; He has answered our prayers; He has forgiven us; He has given us a clean slate to work with each day; He has drawn us closer to Him through various trails and He was always there, unfailingly so, when we needed Him. We must  never forget the goodness, the faithfulness of God.

Dear Father, I pray that you help my children have a heart of gratitude. Please first help them to be thankful for their parents and family who love them so much. Help them not to take things or people for granted. As they grow older, and experience more of life, may they also realize that all good things come from You. I pray they will constantly recall Your goodness and faithfulness in their lives. And in recounting their blessings, may they have a heart full of joy and gratitude. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

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If growing older and wiser indeed go together, then the more gray hairs you have, the wiser you are. Unfortunately, we know that is not necessarily true. What about being born intelligent? Well, we all know people who are incredibly smart. They have fantastic academic credentials. They rake in lots of money in their business ventures. Some may be national leaders. They are multi-talented. They have the outward appearance of health and wealth. But then you read or hear how they make really dumb choices. And when you delve deeper, you know they have a hole in their heart. And when you converse with them, you can't help but discern anger, fear, scorn, a critical spirit, sadness, confusion and greed. No peace. No contentment. No real love. The more average folks are also not spared. Their lives are streaked with foolish decisions. Absence of discernment.

Why? The Bible says that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” God made us for Himself. If He is not a signicant part of our life, can we be truly wise? If we do not reverence Him, can there be understanding and godly discernment?

But what about those of us who love the Lord and truly want His will in our lives? We make awful choices too! We commit unbelievable mistakes! Is there any hope? The wonderful news is that God has made a way for us to be wise. He wants us to ask Him for it! That to me is so amazing. God doesn't demand anything from us that is impossible for us to attain. What a gracious God we serve! So first fear God. Then ask. He will give and bless.

Dear Lord,
I pray that my children will always have the fear of You in their hearts. The right kind of fear. The fear that is reverent and deep because they are in awe of You...the Creator of all...the Maker of the Universe...and the Lover of their souls. Oh, how precious this fear is to You! May this fear lead them to a greater love for You. May it also feed their desire for godly wisdom all the days of their life. And may Your word in James 1:5 encourage them whenever they feel the lack of godly wisdom in their life. May they, like Solomon, ask for the best thing. Meanwhile, help us diligently seek wisdom so  we can guide them make wise choices during their growing up years.  In the name of our Savior, amen.

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12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Faith. There is first the saving faith that transforms a “dead” sinner to a new creature. There is rebirth. The sinner is now through faith saved. It's all by God's grace. But true saving faith begs repentance, and a change of heart. It is obedient to the Lord. It desires an increasing Lordship of Christ. Faith and Lordship go together (Romans 10:9,10).

Then there is the day-to-day faith that we exercise after we have been justified. Sometimes it is called the mustard seed faith (Luke 17:5,6).That is all we need, but don't leave it that tiny! It grows when we hear the Word of God (Romans 10:17), when we let the truth settle and become real in our heart. It is this faith that is tested when we go through difficult moments and fiery trials. It is this faith that is tested when no one understands us, or when we don't understand ourselves and our circumstances. But how we need this faith and trust in the Lord! And it so pleases the Lord when we trust in Him.

“Dear Father, faith is difficult to understand. But we know it pleases you when we have this trusting faith, when we embrace your Sovereignty and truly believe that nothing happens without going through Your holy filter of approval. This morning, I pray that all my children come to a saving faith and knowledge of You. And in so doing, I pray that they will joyfully submit their lives to You and continually desire you to be the center of their emotions and will. I pray too that they will love your Word, and that as they continue to hear it, to study it, your truth will take greater root with each passing year. And throughout all their life's circumstances, please help them to cling on to You, and to “fight the good fight of faith” till You call them Home. In Jesus' name I plead, amen.”

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Ah contentment...that elusive virtue...that virtue that waxes and wanes...but what a glorious virtue to possess...

What does contentment suggest to me?

• implicit trust in our Lord's provision

• calmness of spirit

• selflessness

• quiet joy

• deep gratitude

• absence of internal striving

• sweet serenity

For my children, contentment may manifest in these ways:

• thankfulness

• a happy disposition

• a sharing spirit

• a certain fearlessness

• unshakable sense of security

No, it is not easy to be content. If truth be told, it is painfully difficult. This is especially when one is going through life's changes or challenges. It could be a financial setback, a chronic health problem, a horrible relationship one is trapped in...and oh, so many little things including pesky inconveniences can steal our joy and contentment. BUT we don't have to go through life's trials, big or small,  alone. We have the Lord's strength...and indeed, only in Him can we be overcomers...only through Him can we experience real contentment and joy. Everything else is just wood, hay and stubble...

And it all begins with our heart. For what a man thinks, so he is. And out of the deep wells of our heart spring the issues of life. So my prayer for my children must certainly include this Biblical virtue...that they learn, as Paul did, the secret of contentment through Him who gives them strength....

Dear Father, my children are so blessed...please help them appreciate all that they have : a Christian heritage, parents who while are terribly imperfect, love You, and want to guide them in Your ways, a loving extended family, a wonderful church, great friends, the opportunity to be home schooled....please keep their hearts set on eternal things. Please help them not feed the lust of their flesh, the lust of their eyes and their pride of life. May they find quiet peace and joy in truly knowing that You will supply all their needs according to Your riches in glory by Christ Jesus, whose name I pray. Amen.”

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4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load.

When I know that there is going to be foul weather, and I need to run some errands, it's my responsibility to carry an umbrella. I have no one to blame but myself if I get drenched on my way to the car should the sky break open on me. I must take responsibility for my own action.

When there is something to get done, whether for myself or for others, I need to examine myself and then seek the best way of achieving it. Then do it! The outcome will be the result of my personal effort. My personal best.

There is no need to compare our outcomes with others. Why? When we compare, usually either one of two things will happen. We will either feel fearful or prideful. Neither a Christ-like response.

So this is how I want my children to approach life: to take responsibility, to not shift blame,  to do their creative best, and to NOT compare with others...

“Dear Father, please help my children appreciate the value of hard work. Please help them to always do their creative best in all they undertake. Help me teach them to become responsible people who always say what they mean, and mean what they say. May they always examine their own conduct in the light of Your Word and may their lives seek to glorify You, and You alone. Amen.”

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Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Yesterday, I prayed that God would help my children have a humble spirit. What a person says and how he says it reflects the state of the person's heart. I desire that my children have a humble heart that reflects Christ. Someone who is humble will never use words flippantly or arrogantly. He never demeans. He never hurts or lashes out. He speaks in tones that are loving and kind. He knows no pride, he seeks no public approval. He does what is good, pure and right. He forgives easily.

Today, I will pray that my children will be clothed in compassion. May they become more and more compassionate with each passing year, each decade. It is not true that the older you become, the better you become. Even among "experienced" Christians. We all have met older or elderly people who have become embittered by life's trials, and through those hard times, their hearts become flint-like and anger-filled.

Noah Webster defines compassion in this way:

COMPASSION, n.

1. A suffering with another; painful sympathy; a sensation of sorrow excited by the distress or misfortunes of another; pity; commiseration. Compassion is a mixed passion, compounded of love and sorrow; at least some portion of love generally attends the pain or regret, or is excited by it. Extreme distress of an enemy even changes enmity into at least temporary affection.

He being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity. Ps. 78.

His father had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. Luke 15.

I love the picture of the father rushing towards his wayward, prodigal son. He had compassion. True compassion. He suffered with his son, he felt painful sympathy towards him, and upon reaching his son, he embraced him passionately. He was expressive. He was not ashamed. And like the Heavenly Father, he forgave his wastrel of a son. He forgave extravagantly.

Oh, to have such compassion ourselves when loved ones or strangers suffer pain! Oh, to be a recipient of such compassion when we suffer pain!

Dear Father,

May my children grow in the grace of compassion. May their hearts always be soft and responsive to people around them. May they respond to the pain of others with true sympathy. And may they know how to express that affection– in love, in kindness and in deep compassion. Amen.

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I have found that by following Bob Hostetler's Praying for Our Children program, I can focus on one Biblical virtue per day. I've decided to blog my own prayers based on his suggested daily prayer and Scripture. You can print out his monthly calendar from here. My husband also has a copy in his office so both of us will be praying about the same virtue for our children every day.

We may not see the fruit in our children yet, but isn't it awesome that no prayers go unheeded, for we have been washed and cleansed by the blood of Jesus, and He is our ever-present High Priest who intercedes for us (Isaiah 53:12; Hebrews 7:25).

Today, my prayer for my children is based on Titus 2:3

....to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing humility to all men.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Please help my children love and adore you so much what they say will reflect a gentle, peaceful and humble heart. I pray their words will never provoke others to anger, fear or shame; instead let their words be edifying words that uplift and strengthen those in need. Help me teach them to speak lovingly to and about others even when they feel they have been wronged. And if they have wronged others, help them to humbly apologize and seek forgiveness.  Most of all, please help me, your slow servant, to be everything I've prayed for my children so I can be that living epistle for them to read every day. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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