The next few blogs will be shorter... and I will be ending this subject in a blog or two or three... But today I would like to examine The Lord's Prayer. Oh, not the one that starts with "Our Father who art in heaven." But the prayer that Lord actually prayed. It's in John 17. You should know that I could write BOOKS about this one chapter.. so.... I am going to just give the highlights of what I learned.. and maybe you will learn also. I am combining various verses to give you the highlights.. But you can simply read Chapter 17 of the Gospel of John for yourself... Jesus prayer says these things:
I HAVE REVEALED YOU TO THEM
“I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.
As a mother, this should be your primary goal with your children. When you pray to God can you say the same thing? Can you say, "I have revealed YOU to my children"? Are you the one revealing God and His Word to your children? Or are you expecting the children's ministry at church to do it? Jesus said..."You gave them to me"? Do you acknowledge who really owns your family? Do you acknowledge this to yourself? To your children? When you see that they obey His Word do you explain to them that you have to explain to GOD HIMSELF what you did with the children HE ALLOWED YOU TO HAVE? No youth leader, or children's minister is going to have to answer to God about whether or not they revealed Him to your child as much as YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO answer to God about whether as you walked and talked and got up and went to bed... JESUS was revealed as a the only way of knowing their Heavenly Father.
PROTECT THEM - THEY ARE NOT OF THIS WORLD
"Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it."
Jesus knew that His followers would need to be protected and He asked HIS FATHER TO PROTECT THEM. Do you pray for protection around your children? Not just for protecting them while they play soccer... but.. protect them from THE ONSLAUGHT OF THE ENEMY WHOSE ONLY GOAL IS to keep them from following Christ. Jesus never said anything but that the world would hate His followers. Do you acknowledge this to yourself? Do you know that your children will believe things that are FOREIGN and HATED by most of their friends? Have you explained this to your children? On earth, there is nothing popular about being a follower of Jesus. Your children need to understand the cost of making a decision to follow Jesus. Do they understand that fitting in with the world is not going to be their path?
IT'S FOREVER THAT MATTERS MOST
Forever is what matters. Do your children live each day understanding that this world is not the end? Do they understand that forever is what really matters? Do you explain to them that someday.. they WILL SEE JESUS in all HIS GLORY? Do they live their life HERE with their heart on their life THERE?
OK..
This is long enough.
Jesus prayer was mostly about finishing the work God gave Him.
Praying for the PEOPLE HE LOVED SO MUCH HE GAVE UP HIS LIFE FOR THEM.
(Sound familiar, Mom?)
Praying they would be protected from losing touch with God.
Praying they would be with Him in heaven someday.
PLEASE REMEMBER MOM that IF YOU DON'T PRAY FOR YOU CHILDREN...
WHO WILL?
Love you,
Mrs. Older
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