Monday, March 19, 2012

The Blessings of Family Prayer

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
In the beginning, the Lord God made man and "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life" (Gen. 2:7), but His work of creation was incomplete. "The Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet" (vs. 18). So He made "a woman, and brought her unto the man" (vs. 22). Thus the basis of human happiness was formed--the family.
Even after sin entered, in God's character of divine love He "put enmity between [Satan] and the woman" into us fallen humans (3:15), so that unless we ourselves perversely "put asunder" our own marriage bond, our natural desire is to "cleave" to the one whom "the Lord God ... brought unto" us--our spouse. That natural "enmity" against the "serpent" was placed within us humans by the Holy Spirit. Thank God! It will preserve the family intact--unless we choose to worship "the serpent." God forbid that we should! God says He "hates divorce" (Mal. 2:16, NKJV). That's because he hates pain, bitterness, and alienation. He loves to see people happy.
In a modern hectic world of alluring temptations, is it possible that we supplement our personal communication with God (private prayer) with family prayer? Sorry, but some "Christian" families don't know what that is! There is a text in Jeremiah that recognizes the entity of "family prayer" (see 10:25). It's a negative thought because God regrets the absence of our family prayer; but the positive thought is there by implication--if He notices when we don't have "family prayer" together, He most surely notices when we do! And He grants sublime blessings to the "families" who kneel together in humble, honest, contrite, even tearful (sometimes) prayer before His throne. If you have neglected it, pray together a prayer of repentance; you'll get through.
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: May 25, 2005.
Copyright © 2012 by "Dial Daily Bread."

Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Please forward these messages to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. The "Dial Daily Bread" Web site resides at: http://1888message.org/dailybread/

To subscribe send an e-mail message with "subscribe" in the body of the message to:dailybread@1888message.org

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.