Preparing Your Family For A Positive Christmas

Okay, just to reiterate, if we're going to follow this as we move into these little circles, one person needs to share, let's listen to them, then prayerfully listen to the Lord and pray for them. And this is your need, not, this is something in your heart. This isn't... Interesting, as I was studying for tonight, many times, several times, people came to Jesus and said, how about this person? Martha came upset at Mary. Jesus said, no, you deal with Martha. Peter came upset at the other disciple, John. Jesus said, don't worry about him, worry about you. So we know that there are problems with others that we're going to pray about, but I want you to pray about whatever might be in you tonight. And if there isn't anything specifically on your heart, then just say, well, I'll listen and I'll focus on another need, okay? So it's important to group, not be more than four, otherwise it'll take too long. It's important that you pray for one, give it a few moments, and then go on to the next, rather than back and forth, okay? Got it? Great. All right. One, two, three, go. Turn around, get with a couple of folks, move around so you're not standing by yourself, reach out to someone who might be alone, there you go. Three or four would be great. One person shares, then you pray for them. You're responsible for the actions of another. It is not your responsibility to know how your spouse, your kids, your extended family, how they're going to react. You're not responsible. But as far as it depends on you, live in peace, and then finally, make every effort to live in peace with all men. It does take some effort. As I was thinking about this time, and how we're going to pray for this, I personally believe the biggest obstacle to believing that God could do something miraculous in our setting, something very supernatural, is for most of us, the fact that after all these years, he hasn't. How many of you know it's just tough to believe that after 25 or 35 years, nothing's changed? But I have a little question. How long was the man sitting at the pool at Bethsaida? How many? Thirty-eight years. And then one day, his whole world changed. Now I can't stand here and say if we all pray just right tonight, everyone's world is going to change over the Christmas holiday. But I can say this, there is absolutely no reason why God cannot absolutely invade every circumstance that we were going to bring to him tonight. And we have to expect that. We have to be looking. And I want to promise you, if we're going to ask the first Wednesday after the holiday, for those of you who'd like to give testimony to the invasion that happened in your particular circumstance. Now, believing that the Lord wants to be a reconciler, and I was going to teach a little bit on 2 Corinthians 5. The Bible says, I'm not going to, but I just want to draw your attention maybe to note that later, add it to that list. 2 Corinthians 5, 17 through 21, he talks about giving us the ministry of reconciliation. Do you know what the word reconciliation means in the Greek language? It literally means enemies become friends. And some of us are literally enemies with the people that we're at odds with. We feel like they hate us or that they have terrible feelings toward us. And the ministry of reconciliation given to us by Jesus is nothing less than the ministry that he brought to us toward God. And folks, I'm here to tell you, every one of us were God-haters. Does that shock you? It didn't even dent some of you, but if you're awake, if you honestly look at yourself before Christ, you hated God. You said, no, I didn't. I was a good person. But the very fact that you lived for yourself indicated that your self-love exceeded any love that you had for anything else. And in fact, we're in violation of God himself. And you really don't know your own heart. And it's a phenomenal study. It's very convicting when you look at the power of sin to deceive us. So, the Bible says that Jesus came to reconcile us to God the Father. In other words, we who are in this relationship of wrath from God toward deserving sinners and God-hating people toward an almighty God, Jesus came and made us friends. That same ministry now has been given to us with those that we love or those that maybe we feel are in some kind of negative relationship with us. So, here's how we're going to pray this ministry of reconciliation. We have three categories. And rather than turn in circles once again, we're going to pray this way. We're going to pray first of all for those of you, and you have to decide your level of transparency here. You may not want to reveal this, in which case you can fake it or you can not indicate anything or you can be very bold and say, I just need prayer and it doesn't bother me to say so. The first area is going to be the area of marriage. And if you desire prayer for marriage, we're going to pray for the spirit of reconciliation to come in your marriage over this holiday time. Someone stopped me after the service on Sunday and said, Jay, I want to bring my husband to worship on Sunday morning, on Christmas Sunday, but you're going to be talking about family things and we're separated. And I don't think he'll want to say anything. And I really respected her question and appreciated the struggle she was in and we tried to work through what might be an alternative there. And maybe you're here tonight and you're separated from your husband or your wife and you want prayer for your marriage. The second group we're going to pray for are children. There are some of you here tonight whose children are far away from you and probably God. I know one person told me that their brother was coming into town who has not spoken with their mother in five years. And so the brother is going to have to minister to the brother who's at odds with them. And those are painful things. Maybe it's a sibling situation, but children. And then the third category is extended family. How many have in-law issues? Don't put your hand up. But they can be real serious and painful. We're going to pray for that as well. So here's how we're going to do it. Let's all stand, please. And here's what I'd like us to do. Believing that the Lord is going to grace us now. And I'm praying for the Holy Spirit to fill you with his love and his grace and his peace. Holy Spirit, I invite you right now to come. And in the name of Jesus, minister now as we lay hands in accordance with your word on one another. And come into agreement, Lord, in accordance with Matthew 18 on these three particular issues. Number one, if you're here today and if there's stress, if there's pain in your marriage, and maybe your spouse is with you and you wouldn't feel right about them knowing, then maybe you just want to squeeze their hand right now and say, we need prayer. Maybe you're here without your spouse and you want prayer. Maybe you're here as a husband and wife and you know things aren't right and you want prayer. Any of those categories, I want you right now just to lift your hand up and say, all right, I want prayer for my marriage. I'm not ashamed to say it, I want prayer. Now, hold up. Father, in the name of Jesus, now we, with hands raised, come to you. And now I want everyone that's near someone with their hand raised, slide right up and put your hand on their shoulder right now and come into agreement. And if you're not near someone, get near them, all right? Find someone. There's probably 30 or 40 hands raised. Let's come right around them right now. Move around. That's it. That's it. Move around. Touch everyone whose hand is raised right now and begin to pray for them. If you know their name, whisper their name. If you don't know their name, just ask them their name and begin to pray for them. Go ahead, pray for them. Thank you, Father. Yes. Yes, Lord. Minister by your Spirit, Jesus. Minister by your Spirit. Pray out loud for them. Go ahead. Just pray out loud for them. That's it. Touch them. Agree with them in Jesus' name. Okay, someone lead in prayer. Lead in prayer. Father, in the name of Jesus, now we bring each of these loved ones to you, Lord, before your throne of grace. Father, we come into agreement now, Lord, for this most holy of relationships, Father. And, Lord, in the name of Jesus, we bind the forces of darkness that would bring separation and alienation and pain and heartache between husbands and wives. In the name of Jesus, Satan, we command you to get away from each of these people's relationships. Let go of them now and turn them loose in Jesus' name. We speak a loosing of the grace of God over every one of these relationships. Lord, cause a softening of heart right now, Lord, in spouses, one to another, Lord. Lord, break down walls of broken communication. Lord, please, we pray this night that hardened hearts would be opened, Lord, and repentance would flow. And, Lord, that there would be a breaking up, God, of those resistances that have stood in the way of humility. And, Lord, we release now also, Lord, for those couples who are just strained, Lord, just a healing touch, Lord, of graciousness and kindness, Lord, and uplifting words and encouragement. And, Lord, for those husbands who've been very consumed with their jobs, Lord, and necessarily away from home, I just pray, Lord, that their wives would embrace them and forgive them, Lord, and open and reaffirm their love for them. And, Father, we would have healing throughout this world. These that have raised their hands in the mighty name of Jesus, be made whole in Jesus' name. Praise God. Thank you, Father. Oh, Lord, yes. Everybody that's with your husband or wife right now, hug them and tell them you love them. Tell them. Okay, and if you're not with your spouse, and it's causing you some pain right now, you might as well seat everyone behind you and sit down. You kind of feel silly, I know. It's just the way it is. It's the way it is in that front row. You know, you never have a job. Sorry about that. They were just being a rebellious flock, and you were being obedient. If you're not with your spouse, and that's causing you pain, focus, as John said, focus on Christ in this, and what we've just prayed, and believe and trust. The second group we're going to pray for right now are those whose children, that's your painful relationship. There are parents here tonight who feel like failures. There are kids here who have not any respect for your parents, and you're going home for Christmas. You need healing. I'm going to ask Dave to come, and he's going to lead us. Actually, you can be right there, because I couldn't do what you're doing, so you're going to have to do that. And Dave's going to lead us in prayer. So, again, those of you who desire prayer for children or children who desire prayer for your parents, if you'll stand. I know this is up and down, but you need to be identified. A significant number, praise God. All right, and once again, that we might come into agreement. Would you get near that person? Just put your arm around them. They need touch right now. Encourage them, Dave. Father, tonight I first pray that you would, with your tender mercy, give to those parents who are here who have strained relationships with children the sense that there is no condemnation in Christ, that you are not putting any pressure on them because of regrets or past failures. Father, I pray that they would just come anew to you right now. I pray for healing of their heart. I pray for the brokenness that perhaps they feel because of the distance that is between them. God, right now, minister healing to them, Father. We pray for children who, like the prodigal son, are in a far country. Father, our desire is that they would come home, that they would realize that there is a place to come home, and it begins with you. Father, that they would come home to you. We pray that earnestly right now, that those who are children that are away from you, that are represented by parents here, would find the touch of Christ in their lives. Father, we see that. We see that in our mind and our imagination. Those who are away from you coming home and finding that peace, we ask that by faith that you would make that, even right now as we're praying, true in their hearts. That those who are away, and perhaps parents don't even know where they are, that something in them right now would stir. I pray for those who are maybe going to see their parents, who also have strained relationships. Father, for a peace, the peace of Christ to rule in their hearts. Father, most of all, we pray for love to be the aim of our relationships. We ask right now that a supernatural work would be done in those relationships that are tense, in those relationships that people are anticipating will be difficult over these days. Father, we know that Jesus knew what it was like to have strained relationships with his family, and yet he was a model of servanthood and love. And God, please penetrate our hearts, that we would share with those, even those who have hurt us, your great grace and love. Pray for the one that we touch right now, specifically whatever that need is. I just encourage you just to pray for that person right now. Lord, we believe that you are our hope. We pray that hope would be extended to those that right now we may be estranged from. Let's just sing this together. My only hope is you. My only hope is you. Early in the morning, till late at night, is you. My only peace is you. Early in the morning, till late at night, is you. Early joy, area of high pain. Just extended families, loved ones that you just don't get along with. We're going to pray for unsaved. This isn't for salvation, this is just for reconciliation. Scott's in-laws are coming in. Mine are here. Maybe there's someone else. Don't sit down. I guess you better do the same thing. If you know this is your turn, why don't you put your hand up high. We'll get it up there and give God a chance to intervene in our situations. Let's turn to one another. Before you begin to pray, I'd like you to consider the possibility, in fact the reality, that there was a starting point. There was a beginning point in the relationship that you're going to be praying about. And it doesn't matter where that began or what happened or the severity of it, how hurtful it was, who did it, who said it, who wanted it, who got it. You were there. They were there. But Jesus was there. And for us to not let Him bear that pain is to miss the greatest opportunity in our lives. Because we have the privilege of going back to that situation now and letting Jesus Christ bear it. The hurt and the pain and the weight and the burden and the fears, the separation that may have taken place. The bitterness, the anger. We have the ability now to let Jesus take it. He was there. He knows all about it. It isn't a mystery to Him. Probably what's more a mystery to Him than anything is what we're living with. Because we're failing to let Christ bear it. Which should free us up to go back and address it in our relationships and forgive and forget. Even if it means humiliation. He was humiliated to take it. It may be our turn to forgive and ultimately to cut that off. I just want to ask you to go ahead and lay hands on one another and begin to pray. Discern. Speak words of life to those situations.