I have come to see this as one of the major factors in the struggle with rebellion in the youth at this time. I read a poll back in c2002 that said that 40% of children grow up in homes without a father. Separation, divorce, pride are all factors in this. And then their mothers work full time to pay even the basic bills. The opportunities for sharing quality family time together seems less and less.
Who is raising our children? I work as the administrator in a Christian daycare and I can see where today's children are being "institutionalized." Babies and toddlers in childcare, pre-school, earlier kindergarten ages, "Latch Key" kids... Don't get me wrong; our teachers at Little Lambs Christian Daycare are of the highest quality; nurturing and caring women who go above and beyond the call of duty to love these little lambs into the Kingdom of God. However, I also recognize that this is still not God's highest for these children.
Luke 1:17 says that "He shall... turn the hearts of the fathers to the children." God knows the answer to the problem... and He SHALL work in the heart of FATHERS!!!!
I had been reading the October Newsletter from Covenant Keepers where women are there to pray and call forth MEN who would become intercessors to stand in the gap. Husbands and fathers who are called to pray and become watchmen on the walls. (Isa 63:6) In Jeremiah 9:17-21 the LORD calls the mourning women: skillful wailing women, to pray so that repentance might come to the men… “that our eyes may run with tears and our eyelids gush with water.” Women must fulfill that
call and pray for more men (their husbands and the fathers to their children) to take their rightful positions as heads of households,and to become the Watchmen on the Walls. Not just to pour all their resources into making money, but to protect their families from the attacks of the enemy!!! I had my heart transformed by this Covenant Keepers article… it was such an eye opener on how to pray into rebellion in our youth. The writer calls it simply the “outer manifestation of a broken heart.” Divorce between parents produces a brokenness in the Spiritual “One Flesh” unity…. It produces broken hearts in our children and teens that many times results in open rebellion.
Rebellion is also a sign of lost respect for authority, and children often lose respect for their parents who are unfaithful in marriage and not true to their promises and their words. This is characterized by rebellion to authority in schools and in the work place.. and ultimately in the cities, provinces and in the nation...
How wonderful it would be for men to see the need of their children for quality "Family Time." How valuable it would be for men to work on their relationships with their wives, so that marriage and divorce would not be an option... "NO BACK DOOR!! from day one of the marriage."
The best avenue to acquiring this... PRAYER.
Women, cry out that our men will get back up on "The Wall" and intercede for our families as only they can!!
LORD, men would die in wars past for our freedom and liberty... make men aware of this same need to lay down their lives for their families now... and battle and intercede in prayer.
Women pray that men would answer their calling to be "Watchmen on the walls" protecting their families from the attacks of the enemy!
AMEN!
Deliberations from Deb's Den
