B.A.Y.O.R

A woman needs close friendships with other women. She doesn't need many—it's the quality that counts more than the quantity. But the right caliber of friends is very important.

Your wife needs friends who build her up and enrich her life. She needs trustworthy and faithful companions to talk to, to pray with, to offer help when she needs it, and with whom she can discuss important topics about which you may not have the slightest interest.

These kinds of friends will help your wife to grow, and ultimately add to your marriage relationship.

Relationships with family members are extremely important and must be covered in prayer as well.

In-law relationships can be especially delicate. That's why you can't assume that your wife's relationship with your family is going to be fine. In fact, the type of relationship she has with them will depend a lot on you.

Ask God to show you the truth about your wife's relationship with your family.

Your wife can't force people to love her, yet you might be able to say something to her or your family that would make a difference.

When a husband brings a wife into his family, he owes it to her to pray that she will find favor with each of his family members. Just because he fell in love with her doesn't mean they will.

Besides good relationships with friends and family members, every married couple needs to have at least two or three other couples with whom they can spend time. It's worth praying for these couples to come into your lives. If you already have these kinds of friends, pray for the friendships to grow.

The Bible says we should not be "unequally yoked together with unbelievers" (2 Corinthians 6:14). This doesn't mean you can't have any unbelieving friends, but the relationships that influence you the most should be with people who strive to live God's way. We all know unbelievers who make better "Christians" than certain Christians. So pray that God will take out of your lives anyone who will not prove to be a positive influence.

When husbands and wives are unforgiving toward one another and don't treat each other with respect, not only do they suffer, but so do their children, family members, friends, co-workers, and anyone else with whom they come into contact. When a person has unforgiveness in his or her heart toward anyone, people who are around them pick up on it, even if they don't know exactly what it is.

SHE SAYS

Please pray for your wife that:

1. She will have close friendships with godly women.

2. She will have good relationships with all family members.

3. She will find favor with her in-laws.

4. She will not be an "injustice collector."

5. She will be able to release hurts from the past.

6. She will forgive others completely.

7. She will experience reconciliation where there is now estrangement.

POWER TOOLS

Proverbs 12:26

Mark 11:25

Proverbs 18:24

Ephesians 4:31,32

Luke 6:37

Chapter Seven | Chapter Nine

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Disclaimer - Misrepresentation of the author's perspective is unintentional. Contents of this post and all other post in the "Summary Attempt" series (and all posts by other authors) are in no way intended to be an infringement on the rights/copyrights of the author/publisher/representative. Neither are they provided as a substitute to the book(s)/resource(s) but an invitation to buy the books wherever they are sold. Liability for this blogpost or any other information (or the use of such information) provided on this blog is not accepted from any source.

#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan | Day 064 | The Wilderness | Deuteronomy 32 – 34, Psalm 64

#23MinuteChallenge | Bible Project Reading Plan

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Overview: Deuteronomy

Day 064 | The Wilderness

Deuteronomy 32 – 34, Psalm 64

Source: Bible Project Reading Plan

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Saturday, March 4, 2023

SUMMARY ATTEMPT | THE POWER OF A PRAYING PARENT | STORMIE OMARTIAN | CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER EIGHT | ATTRACTING GODLY FRIENDS AND ROLE MODELS

I have always prayed for my children’s friends and, for the most part, they’ve had great ones. Occasionally they’ve made friends I have always prayed for my children’s friends and, for the most part, they’ve had great ones. Occasionally they’ve made friends that, as a parent, I had reservations about. What I didn’t like was the type of influence they were on my child.

The way I always handled this situation was to pray. I prayed for that child to be changed or else be taken out of my child’s life. In every case that prayer was answered.

Parents often have gut-level feelings about their children’s friends. When that happens, ask God for Holy Spirit–inspired discernment and pray accordingly.

One of my most fervent times of intercession regarding my children’s friends came when we moved from California to Tennessee. Because I knew how difficult this time could be for my children, every day in the months before and after we moved I prayed, “Lord, help my children to make godly friends. I know that You brought us here and You will not leave my children forsaken. I’m concerned that in their need for acceptance they’ll end up with friends whose moral standards are not as high as Yours. Bring godly role models into their lives.”

I often lay awake at night praying on their behalf.

Eventually people came into their lives who have become some of the greatest friends they’ve ever had. This is not just a coincidence or a fairy-tale ending. This is a result of intercessory prayer. This is the result of crying out to God, saying, “God, help my children to attract godly friends and role models.”

God’s Word clearly instructs us: “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. That doesn’t mean our children can never have a nonbelieving friend. But there is a clear implication that their closest friends, the ones to whom they have strong ties, should be believers.

“Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” (Amos 3:3). No, they can’t. That means if they are not agreed, somebody has to change. And that’s why “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray” (Proverbs 12:26).

If your child doesn’t have close believing friends, begin to pray right now toward that end.

We have the power of God and the truth of His Word behind us. Don’t stand for someone leading your child astray.

One of the greatest influences in our children’s lives will be their friends and role models. How can we not pray about them?

WEAPONS OF WARFARE

Proverbs 4:14

1 Corinthians 5:11

Proverbs 24:21-22

Proverbs 22:24-25

Psalm 1:1

Chapter Seven | Chapter Nine

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