GREATEST WEAPONS OF ALL

Each day I try to do my best to encourage you and give you practical
guidance to help translate your faith into your every day life. Today
is one
of those core areas that is critical to the spiritual life of a family.
Men,
you are REQUIRED to take the spiritual headship of your home and make
prayer
part of the daily life at your house. You should pray with your spouse
EVERY
day, and the two of you should be praying with your kids EVERY day.

Does this insure you have no problems in your marriage or with your
children. NO. But it must be part of our every day life to commit the
issues
we are facing to the Lord in prayer, to be thankful for all God does
for us
each day, to openly express our dependence on Him. For those single
moms and
dads, during this season you are in, you need to be the spiritual
leader in
your home and it is up to you to make time each day to pray with your
kids.
There is nothing greater you can do for your marriage and in the life
of
your family than that daily time of prayer together.

This is not a matter to debate. The Bible clearly tells us to pray one
for
another. How much more should we pray together as husband and wife, as
a
family unit? It becomes like everything else in our life, a matter of
priorities. It is amazing how much we can accomplish when it is
something we
want to do. However, there always seems to be reasons why we can't do
the
things necessary to maintain our focus on the things of God. I am not
talking about 5 hour long prayer meetings, though there may be times
when
that is greatly needed. Just taking 15 minutes, praying about the
issues you
are currently facing will make a great difference.

There is no better lesson for your kids than to see God answering
prayers in
their life, and not answering in some cases. It helps prepare them for
the
real world they are living in and helps them to learn to be dependent
upon
God each day. For a husband and wife, you share the most intimate
things
possible physically yet for some reason, you can't share in the most
intimate things spiritually. That never has made sense to me.

Trust me, I realize that this is a big step for many. Let me leave you
with
this challenge. Take the next 4 weeks. Make 5 minutes each day to pray
with
your spouse alone and another 5 to pray with the children. With your
spouse,
each of you take a few minutes to share your needs, then the husband
lead in
prayer for those needs. Before you end, each of you just take a minute
to
pray for your spouse, that God will bless them richly that day.

Same with your kids. Take a few minutes to have each of your children
share
the needs pressing, then dad lead in prayer for those needs.
Afterwards,
both mom and dad should pray over each child for God's protection and
blessings. A side note, keeping a prayer journal is a great way to look
back
after 6 months and see God's faithfulness. Simply write down the
request and
date...and then the answer when it comes and the date.

MAKE THIS A PRIORITY TO DO EACH DAY FOR THE NEXT 4 WEEKS. Trust me when
I
tell you that it will change your relationship with your spouse and
children. For those who have a spouse that isn't saved and isn't going
to go
for this, here is the plan. Spend a few minutes either at night or in
the
morning when your spouse is sleeping to lay your hands on them and pray
for
them.

I love you and care about you so much. Praying with your spouse each
day,
praying with your kids each day, doesn't make your home immune from the
trials and tribulations of this world. It will however keep your home
focused each day on the Lord, and who is in control. The journey of
faith we
are on is a 24/7 experience. Not one hour on Sunday, or every now and
then.
Can you see how much harder it becomes to be involved in sin when you
are
focusing on the Lord each day personally, and then with your spouse,
and
then with your kids? God will honor those who honor Him.

It is time that we quit being so lazy, quit waiting until we are in the
midst of crisis to call out to the Lord. The reason we are so weak and
ineffective in our Christian lives is because we are lazy and do
nothing to
strengthen ourselves for the storms of life. When they come, we are
lost and
have no idea how to fight. A good soldier is always in training so that
when
it is time for battle they are prepared. The Bible tells us that our
enemy
is not of flesh and blood . . . it is a spiritual battle we are in.
Subsequently, it is critical that we are training daily to fight those
spiritual battles, both in our personal lives, and in the lives of
those God
has given us during this journey.

I will be praying today that you hear this word and act upon it. It
could be
the difference between seeing victory or defeat in your marriage and in
the
lives of your children. God is placing the weapons you need to fight
with in
your hands--use them. PRAYING WITH YOUR SPOUSE AND FAMILY IS ONE OF THE
GREATEST WEAPONS OF ALL!!!


In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller