I was just thinking about how much practices, anticipations and studies that football teams do before their games. Likewise, if your family get-togethers are not the easiest then please pray ahead for peace and unity, and your self-control. Please practice in your mind what you will do if the conversation goes the wrong way. Stakes are high in family relationships and so, sometimes it’s better to not talk about matters that divide the relationship. I think the same goes for church members too since we are a spiritual family.
I used to struggle with a hot temper and so I had to learn how to maintain great self-control in my speech especially when I’m with family. I have great deal of self-control now but occasionally like a former alcoholic I get myself into great trouble with my mouth. I realize that like a former alcoholic I have to always watch myself and never think that I have mastered my hot temper and mouth. For me, starting my day off with a long quiet time by reading God’s word in the Bible and praying is the most effective way to keep my mouth and hot temper in-control.
If you do fail in whatever area is your weakness and temptation, please run to Jesus immediately for forgiveness and mercy; and also look for someone in your church family to pray for you. Ask for godly wisdom and receive counsel in how to repair the relationship if you fought with someone. Ask for help and accountability if it’s a personal temptation like bitterness, anger, unforgiveness, excessive spending, gossiping, alcohol, drugs, porn, lust, gambling, video games, etc.
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Here is a list of prayers for IU if you want to use this list to pray for your children and grandchildren’s colleges and schools:
We had a powerful prayer meeting on 11/22/24. In addition to praying for our own children, here are some bigger prayer points that came up during our intercession. Please pray for these during your prayer time. Thank you!
• Safety in Thanksgiving travels. Family time to be rich, peaceful and loving.
• Students/staff who cannot travel during thanksgiving – give them fellowship and let no one be lonely.
• IU vs Ohio State football game on Saturday – keep the athletes’ injuries at minimum or none at all. May God get all the glory in this game!
• Christmas season – people will reflect on Jesus and not get so consumed with busyness of celebrating the holiday without the true meaning of Christmas.
• We pray for ourselves that we would be a good, walking Bible to our children/grandchildren/family/friends so that those who do not know Jesus Christ will be drawn to Him by our speech, behavior and actions.
(Keep these previous petitions in your prayers too.)
• IU President Pamela Whitten – touch her in a special way and that she will be reflective of her faith. Pray that she will be supportive of campus ministries and allow them great freedom to publicly worship and share the good news of Jesus Christ on campus.
• IU football team is drawing a lot attention – bring students that You want to draw to IU; and may they become saved and discipled well while here.
• Bless and protect the state of Indiana. May its leaders and politicians bless and protect their people living there.
• Reach and save the musicians and influencers that our children and grandchildren are listening to. May their testimonies be a powerful influence for our children/grandchildren.
• For those who experienced sexual violence and trauma, we pray that IU and their college ministries will be safe places that offer spiritual healing and trauma recovery.
• Remove leaders and mentors who use their power and position to cover up for an abuser, or abuse their followers – students, mentees, congregants, etc.
• Patience for the praying parents and intercessors as we wait upon the Lord to answer our petitions for our children, and cries of revival in our country and at IU.
• Make Yourself known to our children/grandchildren/IU students/staff in very tangible and real ways.
• May our young people realize that “safety and freedom” is found only in Jesus Christ.
• Good health and wisdom for those who are dealing with illnesses. Touch our children and grandchildren’s bodies if they are not physically well.
• Connect our children/grandchildren with each other and Christian ministries. May they hear the truth about You as their Creator, Father, and Savior. May the feet of our loved ones run towards You.
• Destroy the lies, stereotypes, and propaganda that the enemy has erected against Jesus, His Church and His people. Remove your children who hold leadership positions who need to be removed for the sake of the non-believers and newer believers, so that these leaders will not be a stumbling block.
• Christian cults will stay away from IU and our children and grandchildren.
• Bless the work of our children/grandchildren’s hands. Give them good recall in their exams. Help them to manage their anxieties about exams/tests/papers, and future plans. May they put in the work to learn, study and plan. May they leave the outcome to You, and have peace and confidence in Your good plans for them.
• Salvation for our children and grandchildren and their friends, peers and mentors.
• Christian campus leaders, volunteers and local churches to get ready for a revival at IU. Bring in more laborers now and prepare them.
• Unity and harmony in IU, our families and churches – protect from negativity and divisions. May “relationship” be more important than being “right”.
• May IU be seen as a good place for community and education.
• Protect the entire campus from sexual assaults and other threats. Stop the distribution and use of date rape drugs. Arrest those who are distributing and using these drugs in our college students.
• Protect the campus and community members from car accidents. No one will be drinking and driving. But if there is anyone who is driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana or drugs, please have great mercy and grace upon them, their passengers and the pedestrians. Let there be no loss of life. Minimize damage and prevent injuries.
• Release more of Your angels to IU and off-campus to protect our students and community members. Protect them mentally, physically, emotionally and socially. Put Your armor on them and all the IU students.
• Expose the truth about relying on other spiritual sources (witchcraft, psychics, mediums, fortune tellers, astrologers, etc) for guidance. They are dialoguing with demons. May the students/staff/parents find peace and guidance from You, and seek counsel from your people who are mature in their faith and obedience to your Word.
(Ever since I’ve read about this ex-psychic medium who got saved, I’ve been wanting to hear her testimony. In this interview, she shared her story and insights about many things in today’s culture and the ways that the enemy has infiltrated the church community too. It’s very interesting and worthwhile your time to hear her thoughts from an ex-psychic medium perspective. Her testimony is pretty incredible.)
Some good quotes:
“NEVER, NEVER LET US FORGET THAT CHILDREN FOR WHOM MANY PRAYERS HAVE BEEN OFFERED, SELDOM FINALLY PERISH…SUCH PRAYERS ARE HEARD ON HIGH. SUCH PRAYERS WILL OFTEN BRING DOWN BLESSINGS…LET US PRAY MORE FOR OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS.” – J.C. RYLE
“WHEN JESUS TAKES YOUR HAND, HE KEEPS YOU TIGHT. WHEN JESUS KEEPS YOU TIGHT, HE LEADS YOU THROUGH YOUR WHOLE LIFE. WHEN JESUS LEADS YOU THROUGH YOUR WHOLE LIFE, HE BRINGS YOU SAFELY HOME.” – CORRIE TEN BOOM
Journal of Faith 