The Hollywood Prayer Network On Fathersنموونە

FATHERS, DON'T DISCOURAGE YOUR CHILDREN 

"When I come home, my daughter will run to the door and give me a big hug, and everything that’s happened that day just melts away." Hugh Jackman 

PRAY:  Father in Heaven, I cry out to you in pain. I know so many people who are deeply hurt by their fathers. Their earthly fathers were cold, distant, abusive, negligent, or nonexistent, and my heart breaks for them. You tell fathers not to embitter their children or they will become discouraged, and not to exasperate their children, but to bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. And yet this doesn't often happen. I ask that You come into the hearts of hurting children, whatever age they may be, and heal them, fill them up with Your unconditional love and hope, and comfort them. And I praise You for my father, who was merciful, kind, loving and present. Oh, Lord, please be a Father to the fatherless. I pray in Your Son's mighty name, Amen.

REFLECT: Think about the people in your life who had, or have, bad or non-existent fathers.  Or maybe you had a bad father.  Reflect on how damaging that is for our entire lives.  The role of the Father is crucial and yet many fathers don't get it right.  What can you do to change that desperate situation in our country, in your city, or in your own family?  Can you show mercy to hurting people who had bad fathers?  Can you be understanding of prodigal children, knowing that it's probably because they had prodigal fathers? Chuck Colson once said, "The problem of so many Americans being in jail is not because of too many guns, but because of too few fathers."   What is your place in changing the fatherless crisis in our country?  

ACT:  Choose three people you know, including yourself, who have been damaged by their bad father. Commit to pray for them every day this week, asking the Lord to come in as their Heavenly Father, to comfort them, heal them, love them and guide them. Pray for their hearts to heal, their emotions to be restored, and their ability to embrace their Heavenly Father be restored. Make an eternal difference in three people all this week because of your prayers for them, inviting our God of mercy, with His great love, strength, and tenderness, to come into their lives and meet them in their lonely, hurting places!

    SONG - SOMEDAY