Why We Must Pray for Repentant Hearts

When your child was born, I’m sure one of your thoughts was that he or she looked so pure, so innocent and they do!  There is nothing like a newborn, the softness, the smell the newness.   In that moment you couldn’t imagine that this precious little one would ever sin.

Truth be told,  it won’t take long until their selfish and sinful nature begins to reveal itself.  It’s just a fact, our human nature is bent toward sin, we are selfish lovers of ourselves and we all are in a lifetime battle against it.

Before you know it, that innocent babe is walking and talking, and soon you are hearing the words, “Mine” and “No”.   A few years later you hear the first lie come out of that little person’s mouth, it leaves you shocked and breaks a little piece of your heart.

You will not want to see your child’s sin, you’ll want to look away, ignore it and refuse to  believe it.  You must be brave, Mama Bear, and see your child’s sin for what it is, sin.  Make it your business to face it, name it and never give up praying about it until you see change.

One of the first commands we hear from Jesus as He stepped out in ministry is “Repent”.  This tells us that repentance is an important step, a step that we and our children must  take.

Turning away from sin…

To repent is to feel sorry, to have regret, so much so that you are willing to make a change, and turn away from it.

Saying you are sorry is not popular these days.  We see people making excuses and getting by with sinful behavior everywhere we turn.

If we do hear the words ‘I’m sorry” it’s often just an attempt to escape the consequences.

Jesus is calling us to be real here.  To be conscious of our of sin and when we sin, we have a sincere desire to not repeat it again.

Consequence is a good teacher

At our house it’s called, “feeling the pain.”

Mama Bear, you will be very tempted to step in and remove the consequence of sin for your children.  Resist it, feeling the consequences, or should I say feeling the pain leads to a lesson,  and those lessons lead truly repentant hearts, away from future sin.

Come back to God…

Our children must see us walking repentance out in our own lives.  Repentance leads us back to God every time, back to the Cross where forgiveness is possible.

As we teach and train our children in the way they should go, part of our job is helping them face their sin, name their sin and turn away from it.  Then we can take them by the hand and walk with them to the Cross, where they can feel the light of forgiveness rising.

For Heaven’s kingdom realm is now accessible.  Matthew 4:17

If you are like me your thinking, “What does this even mean?  Heaven’s Kingdom realm is now accessible?”

Jesus is saying, I’m going to make the way for forgiveness of sin.  Right now there is no way, but when I finish My Mission, you will have a way from the darkness of sin to the light of forgiveness.  You will have access through Me to my Father and to all of Heaven.  The road that leads you there is called the Road of Repentance.

I want my children on this road with me, don’t you?

 

A Prayer for Your Child:  

Lord, help _______ to acknowledge, repent and turn away from his/her sin and draw close to You.  I thank you that through Jesus You have made the way for _________ to always come back to You, to have access to You, to step out of the darkness and into Your brilliant light. In Jesus Name, Amen

A Prayer for You, Mama Bear 

Lord, I lift my Mama Bear friend up in prayer today.  I ask that she become a woman who faces her sin head on and is quick to turn away from it.

Lord, You are so gracious that You have already made the way for her to continually turn around and come back to You, lead her from the darkness of sin to the light of a repentant life that serves as a guide for her children.  In Jesus Name – Amen

If you’re wondering about all of the Mama Bear talk you can find out more about that here.  Mama Bear

Praying with Power

Scripture tells us that there is great power in the tongue.    What we say matters, it matters much.

And so the tongue is a small part of the body yet it carries great power! Just think of how a small flame can set a huge forest ablaze.  James 3:5 

So I must ask you, Mama Bear, what are you saying?  What words are you speaking over the life of your family?  What words do your children hear come out of your mouth?

Words of Life – Words of Encouragement – Words of Faith

– Or – 

Words of Fear – Words of Discouragement – Words of Doubt 

Even when we pray our feelings of fear, discouragement and doubt can filter in.  I will admit for many years I prayed with tears and frustration, and I was known to even add in some begging and pleading. It wasn’t until I learned to pray scripture that I felt true power in my prayers.

Power is the ability to act, to do accomplish something with strength. That’s exactly how I want to feel during and after my time in prayer, that I have accomplished something with strength! Lord knows, I’m weak on my own! The great thing with prayer is it’s not in my strength, but God’s.

Most days I do not feel godly or righteous, I feel like a plain old sinner.

But Jesus

You see, dear Mama Bears, it is Jesus who places us in the position of righteousness, right standing with God. Through Him we have been washed clean and can approach God’s throne with confidence.

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16

If that isn’t enough we have access to even more power –

When we pray God’s Word, our prayers become alive with power, His power.

I can trust that God’s words are alive and active, when mine are inadequate.

God’s words hit their mark, when mine fall short.

God’s words slice with the power of a sword, when mine are a butter knife.

God’s words penetrate the hearts, when our bounce off and fall to the floor.

A bonus is, when we pray God’s words for our children, His words pierce our hearts as well as theirs, and you know we love those two- for-one deals!

Let us be Mama Bears who leave our begging and pleading days behind us, and pray with power over the lives of our children as we teach them to do the same.

A Prayer for You Child:

Lord, I thank you for your word, that it is alive and active in _____________’s life.
As I pray your holy scriptures over him/her may they penetrate her/his soul and spirit. Your Word is the only thing that can judge the attitudes of _____________’s heart. Amen

A Prayer for You, Mama Bear:

Lord I lift up my dear Mama Friend, I ask that you remind her that Your power lives within her and she can approach Your throne with confidence. As she rids herself of offense and confesses her sin, your power comes and healing is released within her and those she is praying for. When she adds the piercing power of Your Word, her prayers are unstoppable! Amen

Don’t Worry Mama Bear, Pray

I have heard it said many times that when you have your first child, it’s as if your heart came out of your chest and started walking around.  Sit around a table with a group of mothers and you will see that those words are true.

Mama Bears tend to worry and before we know it we have a list of them that has no end. Worry is a tricky thing, it starts small, and it can keep growing within us until we are almost smothered by it.

There are some boo-boos that we can kiss and make better, and there are some that are completely out of our control.

Maybe some of these sound familiar to you –

• Are they eating well?
• Sleeping well?
• Are they happy?
• Do they have friends?
• Do I like their friends?
• Do they like their teachers?
• Do their teachers like them?
• Are they studying enough?
• Applying themselves enough?
• Can I trust them?
• Are they friendly and kind?
• If they are moody, why are they moody?
• Are they leaders or followers?
• What are they wearing?
• When is the last time they washed their hair? Brushed their hair?
• Is their walk with the Lord strong enough?
• Have I failed them in any way?
• Do they lie to me?
• Are they depressed?
• Before we know it boyfriends, girlfriends, college, careers, spouses, marriage and gasp! grandchildren (a whole new generation to worry about) come into the picture and the list continues to grow.

Your list of worries will have no end, Mama Bear,

unless you put an end to it.

The only way is to take your worries and turn them into prayers

The power to do just that, lies within you. When you purpose to live your life according to this scripture, refusing to live in worry and fear, choosing to live in prayer and peace.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious, worried, fearful

about anything, any one thing, to any degree

but in every, any, each situation

by prayer, communion with God and petition, ask

with thanksgiving, gratitude, appreciation

present, show, give your requests to God.

Then the peace, unity, calmness of God

which transcends, rises above all of your understanding

will guard and protect your heart, the center of who you are

as well as your mind and your thoughts, as they are hidden and protected in

Christ Jesus.

Prayer is our secret weapon against fear and anxiety, God beckons us to come to Him and pour out our hearts on behalf of our children.

Arise, cry out in the night,
    as the watches of the night begin;
pour out your heart like water
    in the presence of the Lord.
Lift up your hands to him
    for the lives of your children

 Lamentations 2:19

Don’t Worry Mama Bear, Pray. 

Wondering where all his Mama Bear talk is coming from?  You can find that post here Mama Bear

 

When Your Child Is Struggling to Believe

As we step into this Holy Week, a week of remembering all that our Savior, Jesus endured for us, my greatest hope is that my children have a firm belief in Jesus and His sacrificial gift of salvation for them.

To believe in something is to accept something as true, to feel sure of something or to have faith, but not all of us praying Mama Bears have children who have chosen to believe by faith that Jesus is their Savior, yet.

They may be very young and have not made a choice at all,  maybe they once believed and have now chosen not to, or have completely rejected the idea of Jesus as their Savior.  Don’t grow weary dear Mama, yet, may be just around the corner.

Nothing breaks a Mama Bear’s heart more, and it can feel like we have been waiting and praying forever.  The truth is, just as we by faith chose Jesus, so must they.  As much as we would like to choose for them, I see all of you mama bears nodding your heads,  sadly as much as we want to we cannot.  The choice to believe is theirs alone.

Do not fret Mama Bear, at times it may not feel like it, but we have the greatest influence in our children’s lives .  Our children big and small are watching us all of the time.  We must purpose to reflect our belief in Jesus, in our attitudes, our words, how we live and  how we pray.

Let’s take a look in to a man that many would have thought was a hopeless case, a guy who would have never accepted Jesus.

Paul not only started out as an unbeliever, he hunted down followers of Jesus and killed them.  Even so, Jesus loved Paul too much to let him go on in life without Him.  Jesus planned an encounter with Paul and Paul was never the same again.

If you are a Mama Bear and your child seems far from Jesus, maybe not in the Paul category, but still far, far away.  Find comfort in this, Jesus loves your Baby Bear far too much to let he or she go on without Him,  He is planning an encounter.  

After Paul’s encounter with Jesus, he became a passionate Jesus Follower and these were his words to people who were struggling to believe.

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

Romans 10: 9-10

If you confess, declare, acknowledge with your mouth the Lord Jesus 

And believe, accept as true, feel sure about,

have confidence in your heart, your soul, the central part of who you are 

That God has raised, lifted out, pulled up Jesus from the dead

You will be saved, freed, released, rescued 

For with the heart, 

one believes, affirms, concludes and trusts

Is made right by justice through Jesus 

And with your mouth confess, declare your faith, you are saved

 

Let us pray with a renewed power, passion and purpose the words of Paul, a passionate Jesus follower,  over unbelieving children today.

 

Father, I ask that _______ confess with his/her mouth and believe in his/her heart that God raised Jesus from the dead.  May  ______ be reminded today that Jesus has saved, freed and rescued him/her.  When __________ believes this with his/her heart he/she will be made right through the justice of Jesus and if _________will confess and declare his/her faith in Jesus,  ___________ will know His salvation.  Amen 

A prayer for you, Mama Bear 

Lord , I pray over this Mama Bear, that she confess with her mouth and believe in her heart that God raised Jesus from the dead.  That she will be reminded today that Jesus has saved, freed and rescued her, that she will believe and trust in her heart that she has been made right through the justice of Jesus.  I ask that she take every opportunity with her children to declare her faith in Jesus, that she and her family will know His salvation.  Amen 

Love,

 

 

Mama Bear

I don’t remember when it began, when my youngest son began to refer to me as Mama Bear. It always warmed my heart, but it was only recently that I have embraced it.

In my husband’s words, “I am a fierce mother”, and for so long I fought that idea.  I longed to be the mother with the quiet, gentle spirit.  Honestly, that is just not who I am.

This led me to a little research project on Mama Bears and this is what I found.

Mama Bears are affectionate, protective, devoted, strict, sensitive and attentive with their young.  Not sounding so bad now is it?

Bear cubs are born weighing in at just under one pound and are completely blind, they are utterly dependent upon their mama.  She spends about eighteen months nurturing, weaning and teaching her cubs.

She must stick to her task, by the end of the short eighteen months, she is aggressively pushing them out to live on their own.  It will be time for her to mate again and male bears pose a huge threat to her cubs.  She pushes them out into a life of their own, not because it is the easy thing to do, but because it is what is best.

Mama Bears press through the hard things

Not because it’s easy, because it’s best

I began to think back, wondering where did I pick up this mentality?

Was it instinct?  Something I read?  Something that was taught to me?

Maybe a little of all three.

If I had to put my finger on one thing I would say I found my passion for mothering, in prayer.  It was the place where I could be honest about my children and myself.

I could celebrate them without feeling prideful

I could complain about them without feeling guilty

I could weep over them, and God would bring comfort

I could wonder and hope over their futures

All the messiness of our lives would pour out.  I was free to be real and honest,  because I was talking to the One who loved them more than I.  The One who sent His Son, Jesus to die, for them, for me, for all.  His passion, stirred mine.

When my first son headed off to kindergarten I joined a little group of other Mama Bears,  each week we lifted our children and their school up in prayer.  My passion skyrocketed, not for just my own kids, but for all of God’s kids, big and small.

Through this group I not only prayed my words, but I learned to pray God’s words, His promises back to Him.  My boys are 22 and 25 and I’m still praying God’s Word over and into their lives.

I have found that in every situation that I am praying over,  rather it is for our family or for other friends and family, God’s ancient and holy scriptures are still relevent today, I promise you.

Recently our youngest son was going though a stressful trial at college.  His an anxiety and mine were through the roof.  Our step by step plan was way out of step, and he and I had many sleepless nights where I cried,  yelled and  stomped as I prayed for him.

Once I finished my little temper tantrums, and I had several. I did mention that I do not have a quiet and gentle spirit, right?  I went to the place where I knew God’s purpose in all of this would be, His Word.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition,with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  Philippians 4:6 

Before I pray a scripture I walk myself through it. I want to write it on my heart and understand it in my mind.

Don’t be anxious, afraid, distressed or fearful

About Anything, any one thing, any thing at all 

But in every, any, each and every, situation

By prayer, plea, appeal and petition 

With Thanksgiving, gratitude, gratefulness 

Present, bring, offer or give your requests to God. 

Philippians 4:6

If you have a child who is struggling with anxiety place their name within God’s Words, God’s Promises.   I promise that you will feel the power and purpose of God’s Word falling all over your baby bear.

A Prayer for Your Child 

Father, I thank you that __________ does not have to be anxious or distressed about anything, not any one thing.  Help ____________ in each and every situation to pray and appeal to You, with a heart of thanksgiving and gratefulness, teach __________ to present, offer his/her requests to You. Amen.  

A Prayer for you fellow Mama Bear 

Father, I thank you for this Mama Bear’s heart.  I thank you that she does not have to be  anxious or distressed about anything, not any one thing.  Help her in each and every situation to pray and appeal to You, with a heart of thanksgiving and gratefulness, teach her to present, offer her requests to You. Amen   

Now, I would love to tell you that every thing worked out in my baby bear’s favor, it did not.  His goal and plans have been delayed, in the weeks that have passed I can say that the reasons for this delay have become a bit clearer.  Very often on this walk with God, He takes us on the long road, He is more about the journey and His work within us,  than our end goal or agenda.  One thing I know for sure, neither of our hearts are anxious any longer.

If you are in the place of being a Lone Ranger Mama Bear and you are longing to find other Mama Bears to connect and pray with I know the perfect place Moms In Prayer

They are all over the world.  Set your misconceptions and fears aside, join hands and hearts with other Mama Bears you will be forever grateful that you did!

Here on the blog you will begin to see scripture prayers that you can pray over your children and yourself, just look for the Mama Bear Category.  Again, no matter what challenge comes along  in their life or yours, you will find peace, comfort, power and purpose in God’s Word.

Love,

 

Waiting is Not Wasting

Simeon was a man who was on a waiting mission. I don’t know about you, but I find that waiting is one of the most difficult missions in life.

We feel like things are happening if we are doing something… anything.

What we and our friend Simeon didn’t know at the time was…

While We Are Waiting – God Is Working…

 God would send an angel to tell Zacharias that the son he would have in his old age would become John the Baptist, who would prepare the way for the coming Messiah

 God would send and angel to Mary to reveal His news that she would carry His Son

 God would convince Joseph to take Mary as his wife

 God would move upon Herrod to tax the Israelites, which would begin Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem, the City of David.

 As Mary and Joseph traveled, the Lord would guide their way to Bethlehem.

 Once there, God would make sure that there was no room in any inn, His Son would be born is a lowly stable.

 As Jesus was born God would have angles fill the sky heralding the Good News to shepherds nearby – those shepherds were the first to come and worshiped the Savior of the World.

 God would fill every part of prophecy to perfection

We must reassure ourselves that…Waiting is not Wasting.

No matter what you are waiting for …

When you are Waiting – God is Working.

We do not see that Simeon became discouraged in his waiting. Instead he was just and devout as he prayed and waited.

Let us not become discouraged or give up either!

Instead let’s be women who press in to Him as we wait…
In prayer, In trust and In wonder.

Merry Christmas !

Where is Justice?

Justice

honesty, integrity, due process, truth, penalty

I have to wonder, Lord.  Where is justice?

Bombs rain down upon innocent children, leaving them standing in rubble, covered in soot as white tear stains run down their cheeks.  Where is justice?

I read of families running for their lives, their homes utterly destroyed.  Their children drown in seas and the small lifeless bodies wash up on shores.  They battle their way to borders only to find them closed.  Where is justice?

Girls and children are stolen, bought and sold for sex.  As they disappear from the headlines they fade from our minds and hearts, forgotten in a sea of unimaginable horrors.  Where is justice?

I confess Lord, there are days I weep and rail against injustice.  I long for all of this wickedness to end.  What do I do, how do I help?

You are right to be a woman who seeks justice.  The desire to defend the oppressed, the widow, and orphan comes from Me.   

I love justice and I will guide you to do what is right, to do your part. 

When your heart is filled with the anguish of this world, return to Me. As you wait in My presence you will find love and justice once again. 

It is not your place to take revenge, leave that to Me.  I will avenge, I will repay.  I am the Lord God Almighty!

Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. Isaiah 1:17

Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  Romans 12:19

 The LORD God Almighty, the LORD is his name!  But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always. Hosea 12: 5-6

 

Gentle Words

A conversation can easily turn to full on gossip if we are not careful.  We know this, gossip does not please God and it can cause a deep wounds that never heal.  If we are women who constantly find ourselves participating in gossip, it should be no surprise when our lives are filled with stress.

Prayer Prompt:

Father, teach me to become a woman who can keep a confidence. Let the words out of my mouth always be truthful.  I want to become a woman who puts fires out, not one who feeds them.  Fill my heart and mouth with gentle words that grow into a tree of life.

Scriptures: 

A gossip goes around telling secrets,
but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.  Proverbs 11:13

Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.  Psalm 34:13

Without wood a fire goes out;
without a gossip a quarrel dies down.
As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.  Proverbs 26: 20-21

Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.  Proverbs 15:4