1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:15,320 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Thank you for listening to your Daily Prayer, 2 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: a podcast dedicated to helping you find the words you 3 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: need to connect with your Father in Heaven. No matter 4 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:24,279 Speaker 1: what is going on in your life today, you can 5 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 1: trust that God wants to hear from you. Right after 6 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:29,640 Speaker 1: this short word from our sponsor, he will pray through 7 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 1: today's prayer for Families to draw near to Jesus Together. 8 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: A Prayer for Families to Draw Near to Jesus, written 9 00:00:55,600 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: by Christine F. Perry, read by Carrie Iberger. The Lord 10 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 1: is near to all who call upon him, to all 11 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 1: who call upon him in truth, Psalm one forty five, 12 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: verse eighteen, On a scale from one to ten, ten 13 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 1: being the greatest. How would you measure your home life? 14 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 1: Whether or not you're married with a family, you can 15 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: still participate in this. What does your home feel like 16 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 1: when you walk through the front door? Is there laughter 17 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 1: or chaos? Is it a place of encouragement or one 18 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: where you feel torn down? Is there peace or strife? 19 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:42,840 Speaker 1: Is their striving or humility? Psalm sixteen eleven says you 20 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 1: will show me the path of life. In your presence 21 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 1: is fullness of joy. At your right hand are pleasures forevermore, 22 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:55,080 Speaker 1: whether you have a family or not, which you say 23 00:01:55,480 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: you're loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind and good, faithful, gentle 24 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 1: and self controlled. Galatians five twenty two says these are 25 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 1: the fruits of the spirit. When we draw near to Jesus, 26 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:14,119 Speaker 1: these fruits should become more evident in our lives at 27 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:18,640 Speaker 1: his right hand, our pleasures forevermore. Whoever you spend the 28 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 1: most time with, you will be impacted and influenced by them. 29 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 1: Who better to be influenced and impacted by than Jesus. 30 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: Imagine how conflicts would be better handled if we sought 31 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:34,520 Speaker 1: to be more loving in our communication. What if we 32 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:38,080 Speaker 1: assumed the best instead of the worst. What if we 33 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 1: never gave up and remained hopeful. This is one of 34 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: many descriptions of love written in verse Corinthians thirteen. When 35 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 1: we individually draw closer to Jesus, everyone including our family, 36 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 1: will be impacted. When we surrender to the Lord's control 37 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 1: and give up trying to control everything, we will find 38 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 1: we have more peace. Those closest to us will notice 39 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: when we seek the Lord together, our homes will exude 40 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: Christ's attributes instead of our self serving attributes. You may 41 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: be wondering how to do this. First, pray and start 42 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 1: reading the Bible for yourself. Make sure you have one 43 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 1: on one time with the Lord first thing every morning. Second, 44 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:27,679 Speaker 1: ask your spouse if you can find time to read 45 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: a book of the Bible, discuss it, and then pray together. 46 00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 1: This can be in the mornings, evenings, on lunch break, 47 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 1: over the phone, or whenever you can find a time 48 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 1: to connect. It may take creativity, especially if you have 49 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 1: a busy schedule. It may also require you to cut 50 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 1: things out of your schedule. What is more important than 51 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 1: you and your family's spiritual wellbeing. Third, once you and 52 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 1: your spouse figure out of time, try to incorporate your 53 00:03:55,840 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 1: kids into reading and praying together. Additionally, you can start 54 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: gratitude journal and ask everyone what they're grateful for. This 55 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 1: time together is seeking the Lord. Doesn't have to be long, 56 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:10,840 Speaker 1: but it must be a priority. It is never a 57 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 1: waste of time to spend time seeking and drawing close 58 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: to the Lord. He holds all time and all things 59 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 1: in his hand. Nothing is too hard for him when 60 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:25,920 Speaker 1: we draw near to him. It's miraculous how he can 61 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: change our attitudes, perspectives, and us. I'm not sure about you, 62 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:34,720 Speaker 1: but I know I need more of him. I want 63 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:38,159 Speaker 1: to be full of all that he is, because life 64 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:42,080 Speaker 1: is the essence of all he is. You have made 65 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:46,280 Speaker 1: us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless 66 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: until it rests in you. Saint Augustine, let's pray do 67 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,720 Speaker 1: your heavenly Father, thank you that when we seek you, 68 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:59,680 Speaker 1: we will find you. I pray that you would help 69 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 1: us to draw near to you individually, and then that 70 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:05,919 Speaker 1: you would help make a way for our families to 71 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: also draw near to you. Lord, we always need more 72 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:13,720 Speaker 1: of you. Please help us to reorient our lives so 73 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:16,599 Speaker 1: that you are at the center, because if you're not, 74 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:21,039 Speaker 1: we're just wasting our time. You deserve all that we 75 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 1: have and all that we are. Please help us to 76 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:28,159 Speaker 1: never lose sight of all you have done for us 77 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 1: and your sacrifice on the cross. We love you, Lord. 78 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 1: Please help our love for you and others to grow 79 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:52,400 Speaker 1: deeper and sweeter. Amen. Your Daily Prayer is a production 80 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:56,479 Speaker 1: of Life Audio and Sale Media. For more faith filled 81 00:05:56,560 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 1: inspirational podcasts, visit us at Life Audio Time. While you're there, 82 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: sign up for our daily email. 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