PROMISE 65 – REVELATION

PROMISE 65 – REVELATION

The secret thing belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.—Deuteronomy 29:29

There are some mysteries, or “secret things,” concerning God, the universe, and humanity that we may never fully comprehend in this life.  But there are revealed truths that we can count among our most precious possessions.  When God reveals truth, it changes us permanently so that we can change the world around us with the same truth.  There are many biblical examples of key revelations that brought about great personal, national, and even global transformations.

•

God revealed Himself to Noah, and the human race was saved from extinction (Gen 6-9)

•

God revealed Himself to Abraham, and a covenant nation was born (Gen 17).

•

God revealed Himself to Moses, and Israel was delivered from slavery (Exod. 3-12).

•

God revealed Himself to Saul (later to be named Paul), and the door to the Gentiles swung open wide (Acts 9).

Now God has revealed Himself to you in a very special way.  He has opened your understanding concerning sixty-five promises bestowed on the children of the righteous.  This revelation belongs to you and to your child, and nothing can steal it from you.  Go ahead—expect results just as dramatic on a personal level as the building of the ark, the miracle birth of Isaac, the collapse of the Egyptial empire, and the gospel spreading to every nation.  If revealed truth could accomplish such great feats of faith for others, just what will it accomplish for you and your child?  Start praising God now for the miracle that you need.

PRAYER DECLARATION

Lord God, I thank You for all the revelations You have given me, especially this revelation of the promises You have bestowed on the children of Your people.  This insight belongs to me.  I claim it as a gift from You.  It belongs to my children, Joshua and Mikayla, also.  Nothing can steal it from us.  It is a part of the wonderful inheritance You have imparted to us.  This awesome truth has come into our home—to bless, to change, and to transform us that we might bring blessing, change, and transformation to the world.  I pray and believe that You will activate these promises on our behalf, Lord, but more than that, I believe You will use us to activate these promises in the lives of others.  I declare that this blessing will not end with us; it will keep passing from one life to another until it encircles the globe.In the name of Jesus, amen (let it be so)!

PROMISE 64 – EVERLASTING LIFE

PROMISE 64 – EVERLASTING LIFE

For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord, “so shall your descendants and your name remain.”—Isaiah 66:22

There is no greater pledge from the lips of God than this: that our offspring will abide in His presence forever.  According to this verse, such an expectation is just as stable and unchanging as the new creation.  God longs for a restored universe free from evil, permeated with peace, and immersed in His infinite love.  More than that, He longs for the day when both we and our descendants are transformed fully into His image—perfected, glorified, and shining like the sun in the kingdom of our Father.

Does this mean that our children will live eternally in a flawless, heavenly state, whether they personally choose to serve God or not?  Certainly not! However, it does mean that the Father will honor our commitment to Him by extending extraordinary grace to our children in enabling them to make the right choices. He will go beyond the norm in helping them to follow the path that leads to an infinite inheritance.  

When God was preparing to judge Sodom and Gomorrah, the Bible says God “remembered” Abraham and “saved Lot from the terrible destruction” (Gen. 19:29).  Although Lot was just Abraham’s nephew, he and his family escaped to torrent of fiery brimstone that fell just because of their connection to Abraham.  How much more will God do this kind of thing for the children of His people! We must belive this enough to thank God in advance, claiming 1 John 2:25 for the whole family; “This is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life”.

PRAYER DECLARATION

Lord God, I believe my children’s eternal destiny is secure withYou.  In all of their struggles in life, I believe You will remember my commitment to You and save Josh and Mikaylafrom this destructive world.  You are the Almighty, and the intentions of Your heart will be fulfilled.  You intend to bring forth a new creation (a new heaven and a new earth) free from darkness, free from pain, free from evil, free from satanic influence, and free from the curse.  Nothing will change this divine purpose or prevent it from coming to pass.  In like manner I believe that You intend to make my children new creations, granting them the grace to love You, to serve You and to abide in Your presence forever (2 Cor 5:17).  I confess that Joshua and Mikayla will also be free from darkness, free from pain, free from evil, free from satanic influence, and free from the curses forever.  As the new creation shall remain before You—filled with Your presence and made perfect in every way—so shall my offspring remain: perfected in God forevermore.  In the name of Jesus, amen (let it be so)!

PROMISE 63 – CHOSEN BY GOD

PROMISE 63 – CHOSEN BY GOD

Out of heaven He let you hear His voice, that He might instruct you; on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire.  And because He loved your father, therefore He chose their descendants after them; and He brought you out of Egypt with His Presence, with His mighty power. –Deuteronomy 4:36-37

According to this passage, one of God’s primary motivations for choosing to favor the nation of Israel was simply His love for their forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  In Deuteronomy 7:7-8, He added that He chose Israel because of the “oath which He swore” to the patriarchs—not because the Israelites were a great nation.  Quite the contrary, they were the “least of all people.”

God’s personality has not changed.  True Christians are deeply loved of God, just as the patriarchs were.  Therefore it is believable that He will treat their offspring in a similar way, acknowledging them as His “special treasure” (v.6. Of course, in the new covenant God has opened His heart and His arms to the entire human race and not just one particular nation or people group.  However, the offspring of the righteous are still very important to Him.

PRAYER DECLARATION

Lord God, I love You will all of my heart.  I am convinced thatYou also love me with an everlasting love, and nothing can separate me from Your love.  You have surrounded my family with wonderful promises.  Because of the bond of love betweenYou and me, I believe You will choose my child as Your special treasure—leading, instructing, blessing, and helping Joshua andMikayla in numerous ways that they might fulfill Your purposes for time and eternity.  In the name of Jesus, amen (let it be so)!

PROMISE 62 – SPIRITUAL WEAPONS

PROMISE 62 – SPIRITUAL WEAPONS

Behold children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.  Happy is the man who has hisquiver –Psalm 127:3-5

Arrows in the hand of a warrior- what a peculiar way of describing the children of God-loving parents! Yet when we consider the global spiritual war raging over the souls of all human beings, it makes sense that godly parents would be likened to “warriors.” Good parent daily fight the good fight of faith against spiritual darkness in their own lives and the lives of others.

Prayerful mothers and fathers often receive inspired insights concerning their children’s gifts.  The God-given responsibility of these parents is to “load” their sons and daughters in the “bow” of a life pulled “tight” with commitment and then “shoot” them toward their divine destiny.

The more children you have serving God and fulfilling His purpose, the greater your happiness.  The Contemporary English Version translates Psalm 127:5 this way: “The more you have, the better off you will be, because they will protect you when your enemies attack. “ When you teach your children how to be “weapons for righteousness” in God’s hands, they will be equipped to come to your rescue in time of need (Rom 6:13).

PRAYER DECLARATION

Lord God of hosts, You are a God of war.  You are currently fighting evil principalities and powers for the control of this world.  I declare that my children are not only an arrow in my quiver, but according to Isaiah 49:2, they are arrows in Yourquiver as well—a weapon in the hands of the almighty God.  Give me grace to know the target of my child’s destiny, so that as Your hand extended I can shoot Josh and Mikayla toward the bull’s-eye of the perfect will of God for their lives.  I pray that they will be used by you to win great spiritual battles, so that the kingdom of God might advance in this world.  Whenever the enemy tries to slip through an entrance (“a gate”) into our family circle let me be unashamed as a parent as I watch Joshua andMikayla oppose all satanic plots, defending “the gate” and conquering valiantly for the cause of Christ.  In the name of Jesus, amen (let it be so)!

PROMISE 61 – A REAL BLESSING

PROMISE 61 – A REAL BLESSING

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a real blessing.  –Psalm 127:3 (GNT)

When God first appeared to Abraham, He promised, “I will bless you… and you shall be a blessing… and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:2-3).  Later on He pledged, “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen 22:18).  God promised to bless Abraham by giving him children; then God promised to use those children to bless all the families of the earth—of every nation, race, and culture.  What a blessing to see them mature and fulfill their dreams! But what an even greater blessing it is to see them bless others with the truth and expand God’s blessing around the globe! This is what it means to be a real blessing, and this is what I claim for you and yours!

PRAYER DECLARATION

Lord God, I know Galatians 3:9 announces that those who are “of faith” are “blessed with faithful Abraham”. I declare that one of my greatest blessing will be the continuation of God’s blessing through my offspring.  I confess that Joshua andMikayla are and will be a great blessing to me.  But more importantly, my children will be a blessing to You and to many others while in this world.  May the blessing of God flow so powerfully through them so that it ultimately extends around the globe in its influence.  In the name of Jesus, amen (let it be so)!

PROMISE 60 – GOD’S REWARD

PROMISE 60 – GOD’S REWARD

Children are an inheritance from the Lord.  They are a reward from Him. –Psalm 127:3

A reward is something given in return for good behavior or exceptional performance.  According to Hebrews 11:6, those who come to God must first “believe that He is, and that He is arewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” This is the nature of God.  He so enjoys compensating His offspring for their service that when the Lord returns, “His reward” will be “with Him” (Isaiah 62:11). Yet rewards are reserved not only for the future; God rewards us in this life as well.

In our key passage God declares the “fruit of the womb is his reward”. So one of the ways God blesses us is by sending children into our lives.  Children are meant to bring joy, fulfillment, and the perpetuation of our name and values.  Unfortunately, for some believers the opposite happens.  For a season their children bring sorrow and heartbreak; they discard their parents’ values and even reject their faith.  Should parents in this situation succumb to depression and just give up? NO WAY! Instead they need to reaffirm over and over—as we all should—that our children are truly a reward from God.  Confessing this truth in faith has the power to turn any situation around.

PRAYER DECLARATION

Lord God, I claim this passage by faith; that my children are part of the inheritance You have given me.  Joshua and Mikayla are gifts from You, a reward from You.  I confess and believe that they will fulfill the role You intended and will perpetuate biblical values in the earth.  I have planted many seeds of truth in Josh and Mikayla.  I believe that they will bear much fruit for the kingdom of God and ultimately receive a great reward from God as well.  .  In the name of Jesus, amen (let it be so)!

PROMISE 59 – AN INHERITANCE FROM THE LORD

PROMISE 59 – AN INHERITANCE FROM THE LORD

Children are an inheritance from the Lord.  They are a reward from Him. –Psalm 127:3

Those who leave an inheritance for their heirs transfer their legacy in several ways.  They leave a heritage of what they have, what they do, and greater legacy (for those who are Christ like) of who they are.  According to our key verse, children are part of the inheritance God gives His people.  God is their Creator—that’s who He is—and one of His most wonderful abilities is the capacity to create—that’s what He does.  So as part of our inheritance God has passed on to us procreative ability, which I believe is one of the greatest gifts we could have.

It is a profound thing that a man and woman can unite in marriage and impart their image and likeness to their offspring, Furthermore, when any child is conceived, he or she contains a soul that will live forever! God could have reserved this creative ability for Himself, but He rejoiced to share with us a powerful reflection of who He is and what He does.

PRAYER DECLARATION

Lord God, first I thank you for my children.  I receive Joshua and Mikayla as an inheritance from You.  I praise You that my image and values are being passed to my children.  I am a co-laborer with You, creatively working—both naturally and spiritually—to fill the earth with God-loving people.  I thankYou for the ability to transfer to my children an inheritance of what I have, but more importantly, an inheritance of who I am and what I do.  I am a servant of God, a child of God, and a member of the bride of Christ, married to You forever.  These glorious facets of my identity I bequeath to Joshua and Mikaylaby faith.  May they receive this inheritance with gratitude and faith and then become “an inheritance from the Lord” that is passed to the next generation.  In the name of Jesus, amen (let it be so)!

PROMISE 58 – EXPERIENCING THE GLORY OF GOD

PROMISE 58 – EXPERIENCING THE GLORY OF GOD

Let your work appear to Your servants, and Your glory to their children. –Psalm 90:16

Moses wrote Psalm 90 under the influence of the Holy Spirit.  We know this because “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Tim 3:16).  The word inspiration used in that passage means to breathe into.  Psalm 90 was much more than just a prophet interceding for the nation of Israel.  It was the Holy Spirit “breathing into” that prophet a petition that concerned all of God’s people in every era.

Whenever the Holy Spirit prays, the Father answers—without a doubt.  So according to this prayer, if we are servants of God, we can expect to see God work in our lives and manifest His glory to our children.

The glory of the Lord is primarily His manifested presence (as was seen on Mount Sinai, in Solomon’s temple, and in the Upper Room).  The glory of God also refers to demonstrations of His power that bring honor and praise to His name.  The Holy Spirit has already interceded for our children through Moses.  It is our responsibility to believe, confess, and praise God for the fulfillment of His divine design.

PRAYER DECLARATION

Lord God, I declare that I am a servant of God.  I renew my commitment to serve Your purposes in this world.  Because I am yielded in this way, I expect You to work in my life, and I expect to participate in Your works in this world.  I also confess by faith in this promise that Your glory will be manifested to my child.  I praise You for supernaturally revealing Your power and greatness to Josh and Mikayla that praises might flow from their lives upward to Your throne.  Lord, I trust You to do glorious things—in, for, and through my children—that will bring glory to Your name forevermore.  In the name of Jesus, amen (let it be so)!

PROMISE 57 A GOOD LIFE

PROMISE 57 A GOOD LIFE

 

I will give them singleness of heart and singleness of purpose, so that they will fear me forever – this will be for their own good and for the good of their children after them.-- Jeremiah 32:39

 

Never compromising, never accepting defeat, never wavering from God's perfect will – adopting such high standards is a good sign that God has given us "singleness of heart. " If we as parents sincerely attempt to live this way – pleasing God alone – Jeremiah foretells to good things that will happen. First, it will result in a good life for us – a life that is full of purpose, full of peace and full of fruit. Second, our lifestyle becomes a pattern for our children to follow. Living out the good life before them – and reaping its benefits – should awaken in them the desire to follow in our footsteps.

Of course, you might be whispering. "Reality check – that all sounds real nice, but as much as I try, I haven't been consistent. I haven't stayed focused. " It is never too late to start over. God loves to forget the past angry at new beginnings. It helps to see that this promise was originally given to a generation that miserably failed God. Defeated by the Babylonians, they lost everything and were forced into slavery. But God promised that they would be restored to their homeland. If they could pick up the pieces and start again, so can you.

 

Then again, you may have been consistent in living the good life, but it appears your child is bent towards serving the world. First of all, don't blame yourself. Second, don't give up – keep claiming this promise. God is a good God. He sends good and perfect gifts from above (James 1:17).  Let's believe that he will perform a "good work " (Philippians 1:6) in your child supernaturally, and you and your child will both "flow together to the goodness of the Lord " (Jeremiah 31:12)

 

PRAYER DECLARATION

 

LORD GOD, FIRST I REPENT OF ANY INCONSISTENCIES THAT HAVE BEEN IN MY LIFE. FORGIVE ME FOR THOSE TIMES I HAVE FAILED AS A PARENT TO MODEL A CHRISTLIKE WALK BEFORE MY CHILD. I PRAY YOU WILL GRANT ME SINGLENESS OF HEART AND SINGLENESS OF PURPOSE THAT I MAY NEVER DEPART FROM THE THINGS OF GOD. I PRAY THIS UNWAVERING DETERMINATION WILL ALSO BE AWAKENED IN JOSHUA AND MIKAYLA'S SO THAT WE CAN TRULY EXPERIENCE A GOOD LIFE TO THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE DEGREE, FILLED AND OVERFLOWING WITH THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD.  IN THE NAME OF JESUS, AMEN (LET IT BE SO)!

PROMISE 56 POLISHED CORNERSTONES

PROMISE 56 POLISHED CORNERSTONES

Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouths speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood: that our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace. – Psalm 144:11-12

The King James Version of Psalm 144:12 describes the daughters of God’s people as cornerstones, not pillars.  A cornerstone is the beginning of a structure to which the rest of the building conforms in style, size, slant, and shape.  I believe this symbol speaks especially of those who are used of God to initiate His unique purposes in the earth.

The most dominant example is the Lord Jesus Himself, referred tyo as the “chief cornerstone”  in Ephesians 2:20.  He was the initial stone of a spiritual building that God began erecting in the earth nearly two thousand years ago in order to inhabit it with His glory.  The “construction” of this living cathedral, spanning two millennia, was definitely a new approach, a new revelation-something the Bible calls a “new covenant” (Jer. 31:31).

If Jesus was the chief cornerstone—and His sons and daughters bear His image—believers should all fill the role of lesser cornerstones.  We are called to be initiators, innovators, visionaries, history makers, and world changers—purpose-driven people used of God to start new trends so His divine designs can be fulfilled.  It is not presumptious or preposterous for me to say these things, because we are all “His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph 2:10). We all have a purpose.  We can all begin something of great value, even if on a small scale.  

PRAYER DECLARATION

Lord God, I pray that You will give my children the courage to be individuals, to stand for what is right, and to be creative in serving You day by day.  I confess that You will initiate something of great value through Joshua and Mikayla so that the world might be a better place.  Empower them to be cornerstones, trendsetters, establishing divinely inspired plans and purposes in the earth.  Give me grace to prepare my children, not for the “shack” of mediocrity but for the “palace” of excellence, polishing Josh and Mikayla so their gifts and callings are fully manifested.  In the name of Jesus, amen (let it be so)!

 

 

Fun time with mom in Gatlinburg

We sure had a fun time going to Gatlinburg. It was awesome! We got here on a Friday and we went to Ober Gatlinburg 

with aunt Nikki. We rode down the mountain in an Alpine slide. 

It was where you got to ride go carts and you got to drive down the mountain side. It was a little scary for Mikayla It was fun for Josh And Mikayla had fun too. We all rode the tram up to the top of the mountain. Then, we went to James and Katrina's condo. We got it the next day and we went to wonderworks And the kids had a blast. Then we went to Dollywood 

and really had a great time.   And we woke up the next day and we went again.

PROMISE 55 – PILLARS OF TRUTH

PROMISE 55 – PILLARS OF TRUTH

That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as pillars, sculptured in palace style. – Psalm 144:12

Pillars often symbolize inspiring traits such as strength, wisdom, uprightness, authority, and resolve-characteristics that make good leaders.  It takes believers who will stand like pillars to uphold God’s  work in this world; flimsy spiritual props will just give way under the pressure.  

When Jeremiah was but a child, God said He would make him like “an iron pillar” –immovable in the face of opposition (Jer. 1:18). The church as a whole is described as a “pillar…of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15).  So ever member of the church—adult or child—should exhibit “pillar like” qualities and fill the role of world changers and history makers.  All overcoming believers have the eternal destiny of being “pillars in the temple of God” –which is certainly a prophetic description of our role in the government of God to come (Rev 3:12).  Since we have claimed our children to partake of this exalted status, we can expect them to be “sculptured in palace style” at an early age—developed as the supportive columns of a divine purpose that stretches from time to eternity.

PRAYER DECLARATION

Lord God, than You for making my child like a pillar—unmovable, and unchanging in his/her commitment to You.  Let my children be wise, upright, full of authority, determined, and excellent in all things.  I pray Joshua and Mikayla will be like Jeremiah and will stand for the truth (like an iron pillar) even when it is unpopular.  Finally, I confess by faith that Joshua andMikayla will ultimately be like a pillar “sculptured in palace style.” An eternal pillar in the temple of God, one who will rule with God over all things in the kingdom that is to come.  In the name of Jesus, amen (let it be so)!

PROMISE 54 – MATURE PLANTS

PROMISE 54 – MATURE PLANTS

"Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouth speaks line words, and his right hand is a right hand of falsehood – that our sons maybe as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as pillars, sculptured in palace style. – Psalm 144:11–12

This is a parent's prayer full plea to be delivered from the deceitful influence of the ungodly so he can be a good role model for his offspring. Children normally imitate their parents. If we succeed in bearing fruit for the kingdom, our children are more likely to do the same. Both sons and daughters become as "Plants grown up in their youth " - In other words, having been "planted "in the truth at an early age, they tend to mature spiritually at a more rapid pace.

Timothy was a pastor in the early church and, apparently, was quite young. We assume this because Paul had told him, "Let no one despise your youth "
(1 Tim 4:12). He must have grown in God quickly because " from childhood" he knew "the Holy Scriptures" (2 Tim. 3:15). Genuine faith was evidenced in him, for it first resided in his grandmother Lois, then his mother, Eunice. A wonderful legacy was passed to him. 

I have witnessed this many times in ministry – minded families. There is no greater modern – day example then Pastor Tommy Barnett, a friend I greatly admire who started preaching in his teens. He watched his own father minister to the poor and downtrodden for years. He admits "some things are taught, some things are caught. I really Caught my giving–ness from my dad."

Now Pastor Tommy has passed the torch to his children, who have grown into "mature plants ". Matthew Barnett pastors the Dream Center in Los Angeles, an incredible church that has become a model worldwide for 24/7 ministry, especially to the poor and the oppressed. May your child also catch your passion for God and become a mature plant at an early age.

PRAYER DECLARATION

Lord God, help me to walk in genuine faith, then reproduce the same in my children. I have "planted" my children in the house of the Lord " (Ps 92:13). Therefore, as Scripture promises, I expect them to flourish in the things of God. Awakened in my children the understanding that earthly things are temporary and heavenly things are eternal – and give them desires for those things that endure forever. I confess that Joshua and Mikayla will mature in God at an early age. Even as Hannah "planted "her son Samuel in God's house and he became a "mature plant"  early in life – receiving supernatural visitations as a young boy (1 Samuel 1–3) – so let it be for my children. In the name of Jesus, amen (let it be so)!