Titus 2 Men And Women

Praying Parent: Lesson 2 - Intercession
by Teddi Neevel

When we began our ‘Becoming a Praying Wife’ series of lessons, some of us thought "OK, now I’m going to pray about my husband and God will change him." The lessons in reality became "LORD, help me understand my husband’s needs and thoughts. Change me, so I can meet my husband’s needs and be the wife he deserves." As God changed me, he also blessed and changed my husband Fred.

This series of lessons will be very different because we won’t be praying so much for change but for wisdom, protection and blessing for our children and grandchildren.

When I started thinking about these lessons and reading the book "The Power of a Praying Parent" by Stormie O"Martian, God first brought to my memory that like being a bride is not the same as being a wife, so giving birth is not the same as being a mother. Remember when we discussed how we planned our weddings...our gown, the bridesmaid’s dresses, the music, every little detail but gave little thought to after the wedding and being a wife. Most women are the same about becoming mothers. They decide it’s time for a baby. They concieve, anguish through morning sickness, argue about names, giggle about little fluttery signs of life, plan a nursery, get big and un-comfortable, worry about the pain of childbirth, and then the baby makes its grand entrance. The infant is placed into the woman’s arms and her memories of the pain of childbirth begin to fade away. Now, she should become a mother.

Some women are mothers but never give birth to a child of their womb. There is deep sadness in a woman that is un-able to concieve. My heart aches for women that are unable to concieve but what I find sadder still is the women that give birth but never learn to be mothers. They may not ever realize that their lack of desire to be godly mothers is part of the problem in their children’s lives.

They may feed, clothe and love their children. They may take them to church, send them to school and buy them toys but they may never learn to mother their children in a godly way. In our church when a baby is born the parents bring the infant to the front of the church to be introduced to the congregation and for the Pastor to pray for the child and the parents. It is wonderful to see parents that recognize their child as God’s gift, but is the Pastor’s prayer all that they need to do? No, God wants us to intercede for our children.

We had a pastor one time that told me if I were a godly mother, that I would know 24 hours a day where my child was, who he was with, and what he was doing. That is a physical impossiblity and do not allow anyone to dump that particular load of garbage into your life. Mary and Joseph lost Jesus in Jerusalem, yet no where in scripture are we told that they were bad or unspiritual parents. You and I were born with a free will and so is every child.

We are commanded by God to "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6 Training includes teaching the difference between right and wrong. Training includes Christian character, cleanliness, health, and concern for others; the list can go on for hours. Training never removes the God given free will with which each of us is born. That is why God didn’t blame Adam & Eve for Cain’s sin against Able. God didn’t blame Samson’s parents for Samson’s sin, but God did blame Eli for Phinehas and Hophni. The difference in the cases is simple. Let’s compare Judges 14:3 "Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines?" with I Samuel 2:22-25 "Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people. Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD'S people to transgress. If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them". And I Samuel 2:29-31 "Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people? Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house."

Samson’s parents told him his sin was wrong and attempted to re-direct him. Eli told his son’s that what they were doing was wrong but made no attempt to stop them. Eli was in charge of the tabernacle and no priest served there without his consent. He despised God by not stopping his sons from abusing the tabernacle and their priestly office.

Some of you spent some time living military lives. You could explain to the rest of us what a watch is. Let’s see if I understand this concept. When a miltary person is on ‘watch’ there responsability is the safety of their fellow soldiers. The individual on watch must stay awake and guard the compound so others can rest. Isn’t it interesting that God uses that term when addressing mother’s in this scripture? Let’s look together at Lamentations 2:19 "Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street."

When you start your morning watch...pour out your heart. When you start your evening watch...pour out your heart. When you start your night watch...pour out your heart. In other words tell God your thoughts, fears and insecurities, lift your hands, and plead with God for your children. Webster’s Dictionary defines intercede as "To mediate, plead in behalf of another, to intervene." Intercessory prayer is just that, mediating or pleading in behalf of someone else.

We should not be over-whelmed by each new stage of development in our child’s life but we should be in prayer about each stage. Our prayers need to be specific, Spirit guided and un-selfish.

When we recognize our limitations in time and wisdom we are then ready to ask God for guidance. We can handle the day to day stuff like food and laundry but we need God’s help in training and protecting. We need to recognize each child and his sphere of influence as being GOD needy. We need to look at each of our children and really think about them.

Ask God for discernment in regard to our children. Some parents and grandparents have a very critical spirit while others wear rose-colored glasses when looking at their family. Have you ever known a child that was absolutely obnoxious to be around but the parents thought he was darling? Oh, isn’t that cute? Have you been around a family where criticism and ridicule are the only words voiced? Have you been with a parent who talks about their child’s unacceptable behavior in the child’s presence? These are all ways of failing to see and know your child. No child is always wonderful, naughty, good, believable, loving or mean. We need to see their good and their bad sides.

Psalm 143

David prayed about his past, present, and future. We need to do the same for our children and ourselves. Pray that God will not allow the guilt of the past to bind, that God will guide and protect today, that God will direct the future.

In a notebook, using a page for each child, list:

1. Traits that you see as the child’s best qualities. Do you see how Satan could use these traits and an avenue of attack?
2. Weaknesses of character. What would it take to make these traits strengths instead of weaknesses?
3. What is your greatest fear for this child? Is God big enough to handle your fear?
4. Write a scripture verse that you can claim in victory for this fear. Pray the verse to the LORD as you pray for the child.

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