The Power of a Praying Wife 12/17- UPDATED *** #139 - His Relationships

[live4christp1]

Monday October 20, 2008 - His Attitude

Let me start today by giving a testimony of some of the changes I have noticed in DH over the past month of study and prayer. DH had drill his weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with Friday being the day he had to take his PT test. Usually when he gets done, he just wants to go home and sit in front of the TV. Well, Friday he was in a good mood, wanted to go with me to Wal-mart to get groceries, Saturday he met us at Boo in the Zoo, he was tired but in a good mood. Now Sundays when he gets done he wants to come home and watch the game, to tired to go to church. He came home Sunday, went to church, went out with the outreach group. Got home, sat down to watch the last game of he night. DD was playing, running, jumping, yelling, being a typical 5 year old who has just sat through an hour and a half Sunday service. DH hates the noise in the house. I asked DD to settle down....that dad was trying to watch the game and he said..............(I think I am still in shock)............."it's okay." Then to DD "just don't hurt yourself"........I am like {{{what????}}} "are you okay?" He said, "yeah, I'm going to stop being so tough on them, I want them to be able to be kids, I'm gonna miss this while I'm gone". (He has to go to Japan for 3 weeks in December). So hang in there, it does work.

Today's excerpt:

"If your husband allows himself to wallow in a consistently bad attitude, it will make a good marriage miserable, and a shaky marriage intolerable. A habit of responding negatively will adversely affect every aspect of his life. Of course you can't rule over your husband's will, but you can pray that his will lines up with God's. Pray that his heart becomes pure, because the Bible promises a person who has a pure heart will see God (Matthew 5:8) and have a cheerful countenance (Proverbs 15:13). (Who doesn't wish her husband could see God and have a cheerful countenance?) Pray for his heart to be filled with praise, thanksgiving, love, and joy, because "a good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things" (Matthew 12:35). Even if there are no major changes immediately, he is certain to be softened by your prayers. And that, at least, can give you a better attitude while you wait for his to improve."

Today I pray that my husband would have a pure heart. That he would be filled with joy and love and thanksgiving. That he would find things daily to praise the Lord for. That his will would line up with that of the Lord.

 

[live4christp1]

Tomorrow's Topic - His Marriage

 

[live4christp1]

Tuesday October 21, 2008 - His Marriage

In today's world this is an area that we really need to cover with prayer. Let's not be guilty of taking our marriage for granted and neglecting to cover it. Our marriages are on the attack from ever direction and the enemy likes nothing better than to see them fail. The prayer at the end of today's chapter is very powerful so that is what I will be posting.

Today's excerpt:

"Lord, I pray You would protect our marriage from anything that would harm or destroy it. Shield it from our own selfishness and neglect, from the evil plans and desires of others, and from unhealthy or dangerous situations. May there be no thoughts of divorce or infidelity in our hearts, and none in our future. Set us free from past hurts, memories, and ties from previous relationships, and unrealistic expectations of one another. I pray that there be no jealousy in either of us, or the low self-esteem that precedes that. Let nothing come into our hearts and habits that would threaten the marriage in any way, especially influences like alcohol, drugs, gambling, pornography, lust or obsessions. Unite us in a bond of friendship, commitment, generosity, and understanding. Eliminate our immaturity, hostility, orfeelings of inadequacy. Help us to make time for one another alone, to nurture and renew the marriage and remind ourselves of the reasons we were married in the first place. I pray that (husband's name) will be so committed to You, Lord, that his commitment to me will not waiver, no matter what storms come. I pray that our love for each other will grow stronger every day."

 

[live4christp1]

Tomorrow's Topic - His Emotions

 

[live4christp1]

Wednesday October 22, 2008 - His Emotions

As I stated earlier on DH can get very angry. That isn't all the time for the most part he tends to bottle all his emotions inside and you never really know what he is feeling, that can be equally as dangerous and damaging.

Today's excerpt:

"Don used anger to control his family. Each family member was so concerned about his temper that they lived their lives on tiptoe, doing his bidding out of fear rather than love. When his wife, Jenny, learned she not only didn't have to tolerate his anger, but going along with it was disobedient to God, things began to change: "Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul" Proverbs 22:24-25."

"Jenny realized she could still love the man but not approve of his sin, so she bagan praying fervently for him on a regular basis, both alone and with a group of prayer partners. She prayed he would stop being controlled by his emotions, and instead be controlled by the Holy Spirit. Her prayers not only helped to clear his mind enough for him to see how he had been acting, but they paved the way for him to find strength and courage to alter his behaviour. "A gift in secret pacifies anger" Proverbs 21:14. The best gift a wife can give in secret to calm her husband's anger is to pray for him."

Today I pray that my husband would be released from a spirit of anger and be filled with the Holy Spirit instead. That he would be able to control his emotions rather than allowing them to control him. That he also would learn to express his emotions in a healthy way and not bottle everything inside.

 

[live4christp1]

Tomorrow's Topic - His Walk

 

[live4christp1]

Starting in November I think I will take the opening section of the book entitled "The Power", along with the 1st chapter "His Wife" and just break those down. They are so good!

If we run out of info I'll go through and try to his some of the one's we've missed due to the weekend, etc.

Let me know what you think.

Then in December we will return to a chapter a day.

Hope you all are still enjoying this thread. I'd like to hear from you. Likes, dislikes, how is God using this in your life?



Cristy

 

[live4christp1]

Thursday October 23, 2008 - His Walk

Today is brag on DH day. Despite all the things I see as faults (yes Lord, change me and the way I see things) I am so proud of DH. Last year he joined the National Guard (we were teens in the late 80's, so he isn't exactly a younun') and had to go through 9 weeks of Basic Combat Training and then 19 more weeks of Advanced Individual training. It was hard.......but he made it through, earned the respect of a lot of young men, as well as his commanding officers. I'm sure there were times that he didn't feel like it but he walked his faith there. He has told of one SGT who continued to "smoke" him one day telling him that he was going to make him curse. He never did, he just continued to do everything the SGT told him to.

Today's excerpt:

"The Bible reveals much about the kind of walk we should have. We are to walk with moral correctness because "no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly" Psalm 84:11. We are to walk without fault because "whoever walks blamelessly will be saved" Proverbs 28:18. We are to walk with godly advisors because "blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly" Psalm 1:1. We are to walk in obedience because "blessed is every one who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways" Psalm 128:1. We are to walk with people of wisdome because "he who walks with wise men will be wise" Proverbs 13:20. We are to walk with integrity because "he who walks with integrity walks securely" Proverbs 10:9. Mos of all, we are to walk a path of holiness. "A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray" Isaiah 35:8. The best part about walking on the Highway of Holiness is that even if we end up doing something dumb, we still won't get thrown off the path."

Today I pray that my husband will continue to walk uprightly. That he will guard his heart and continue to follow the way that the Lord has prepared for him. That he would continue to be a living testament to God's grace and forgiveness.

 

[live4christp1]

We are leaving for Gatlinburg as soon as all the after care kids are picked up today. So have a great weekend! See you all on Monday!

Cristy

 

[live4christp1]

Monday October 27, 2008 - His Obedience

This is a hard one for me. Several years ago DH felt like the Lord was calling him to go to Bible college and then to the missions field. He went to Bible college for a year, didn't finish and has bounced from one job to the next with no clear direction from God. I have seen him struggle from one extreme to another at points not even having the desire to attend church, at others being gung ho on working with the youth and children's church at the same time. Is it due to a lack of committment to what he was called on his part? I don't know. I try not to say anything as he has went down different avenues because I want him to hear God's voice and not mine. I need to pray over this area so much more.

Today's excerpt:

"No man can receive all God has for him if he is not living in obedience. Jesus, who was never one to beat around the bush, said, "If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments" Mathew 19:17. He knew that nothing would give a man more peace and confidence than knowing he is doing what God wants him to do. God's Word promises that by being obedient to His ways your husband will find mercy (Psalm 25:10), peace (Psalm 37:37), happiness (Proverbs 29:18), plenty (Proverbs 21:5), blessings (Luke 11:28), and life (Proverbs 21:21). Not living in obedience brings harsh consequences (Proverbs 15:10), unanswered prayers (Proverbs 28:9), and the inability to enter into the great things God has for him (1 Corinthians 6:9)."

"Walking in obedience has to do not only with keeping God's commandments, but also with heeding God's specifice instructions. For example, if God has instructed your husband to rest and he doesn't do it, that's disobedience. If He has told him to stop doing a certain type of work and he keeps doing it, that's disobedience. If He has told him to move to another place and he doesn't move, that's disobedience, too."

***** I am going to come back to this chapter on the 31st as there is some more good info. There are only 30 chapters in the book so that leaves us needing something to cover on the 31st. This is what it will be.

Today I pray that my husband would hear and heed God's clear instructions. Give me a burden to pray for this area of his life each day. That he would walk in obedience to God's commandments as well as what God has instructed him. Help me to be affirming of what God has asked of him and show me also God's will.

 

[live4christp1]

Today's weapons of warfare:

Proverbs 3:1-3 - My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you. Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

Psalm 66:18 - If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.

 

[live4christp1]

Tomorrow's Topic - His Self - Image

 

[live4christp1]

Testing 1, 2, 3.........

Kind of lonely in here.

Where did you all go?

Someone please post something. Feel like I'm just talking to myself.

Tell me if you like the thread, hate the thread, couldn't care less about the thread.....at least it would be something....................

Would love to hear from any of you that have found help or inspiration through reading here.

Cristy

 

[live4christp1]

Tuesday October 28, 2008 - His Self Image

My DH struggles with this one, he doesn't think he is capable or qualified. He has no confidence in himself. He leans away from learning something new for the fear of not being able to learn it. He has very low expecations of himself.

Today's excerpt:

"Why do some very capable and talented men consistently find doors of opportunity and acceptance closed to them, while others with equal or less ability have seemingly unlimited opportunities and success in every area of their lives? It doesn't seem fair. Timing, of course, has something to do with it. God has a time for everything and He works in us what needs to be done to prepare us for what is ahead. Having a sense of God's timing brings the peace to wait on the Lord for it."

"There can be another important reason for the struggle, however, and that is a man's perception of himself. If he has a poor self-image, he will have doubts about his value that creep into everything he does-even into his relationships. People who are uncomfortable with his insecurity may avoid him, and this will in turn affect how he relats to his family, friends, coworkers, and even strangers. Expecting to be rejected, he will be."

"Your husband will never see who he really is until he sees who God really is. Pray hat he finds his true identity."

Today I pray that my husband would find his true identity by first drawing close to God and finding out who He really is. That he would gain self confidence in his talents and abilities and be able to use them for God's glory.

 

[live4christp1]

Today's weapons of warfare:

Colossians 3:9 & 10 - You have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.

2 Corinthians 3:18 - We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

 

[live4christp1]

Tomorrow's Topic - His Faith

 

[live4christp1]

Wednesday October 29, 2008 - His Faith

Today's excerpt:

"I always smile when someone tells me he or she has no faith, because I know it's probably not true. Everyone lives by faith to a certain extent. When you go to a doctor, you need faith to trust his diagnosis. When the pharmacy fills your prescription, ou have faith that you'll receive the appropriate medicine. When you eat at a restaurant, you trust that the people serving you have not contaminated or poisoned the food. (Some restaurants require more faith than others.) Every day is a walk of faith on some level. Everyone believes in something. "God has dealt to each one a measure of faith" Romans 12:3."

"We choose what we will believe in. Some people choose to believe in themselves, some in government, some in evil, some in science, some in the newspaper, some in hard work, some in other people, and some in God. The only person I have ever known who didn't believe in anything ended up in a mental hospital because it drove her crazy. Faith is something we can't live without."

Today I pray that my husband's faith would be strengthened. That he would have a firm conviction to what he believes and in whom he places his faith. I pray that the Lord would become his best friend and that he would learn to really on Him through faith in all circumstances.

 

[live4christp1]

Tomorrow's Topic - His Future

 

[live4christp1]

If you have been following along I just want to say keep on keeping on - we have been praying for 6 weeks now......that's 42 days of prayer for our husbands!

 

[live4christp1]

Thursday October 30, 2008 - His Future

Today's excerpt:

"God says not to listen to voices that speak lies, for "they speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the Lord" Jeremiah 23:16. Any vision for the future that is full of failure and empty of hope is not from God (Jeremiah 29:11). But God can restore vision where it has been lost. He can give hope to dream again. He can bring His truth to bear upon the lies of discouragement. He can give assurance of a promising future. Prayer is the avenue through which He can accomplish it."

"If your husband's eyes get so focused on the day-to-day details of living that he loses his vision for the future, your prayers can life his sights. They can help him see that God is his future and he needs to run his life in a way that invest in that. "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it" 1 Corinthians 9:24. You don't want your husband to be a man who speaks a vision of his own heart and loses the prize. You want him to be able to see from God's perspective."

Lord today I pray that my husband's eyes would be open and that he be given a glimpse of his future from Your perspective. Help him to see all that he can be and do through You. Give him a hope for a future that You have laid out and give him wisdom and knowledge that could only come from You. Bind the hands of discouragment and doubt. Help him to dream again.