Men, we all know we need pray with our wives.  That's not hard to figure out.  But have you ever pondered why this is such an important part of how you lead your wife spiritually? 

Said simply, it communicates to her your submission to a greater authority.  

For many women, the called to "submit to their husbands" (Eph. 5:22), is a fear filled calling.  What if this guy is a complete jerk?  What if he abuses his authority?  What if he leads us in a direction that I don't want to go?  These questions (and others) can haunt any Bible-loving Christian woman. 

I believe that one of the ways to help your wife feel most loved, secure, and safe it to lead her in prayer.  Think about it.  What does that non-verbally communicate to her?  It communicates that you are submitted to a greater authority, you have the humility to acknowledge your need, and are willing to publicly demonstrate that as you pray together. 

Prayer forces us to set aside our arrogance and autonomy and those two things will quickly and easily defeat any marriage.  If you won't listen to a higher authority how could you ever listen to her? 

Model your submission to Jesus by leading your wife in prayer.  She will love you for it and you need it.

The following are a few thoughts in reflection of last Sunday’s sermon on Psalm 51. Confession is minimally practiced among Evangelicals for at least 3 of the following reasons.

1. Sin is not taken seriously within our culture; consequently, people inside and outside the faith don’t feel their need for confession.
2. Those who believe in eternal security feel as though sin (in particularly non-scandalous sin) is somewhat of a non-issue in general.  
3. Evangelicals have seen the abuses of confession within Roman Catholicism and have, therefore, distanced themselves from the practice. 

As believers we need to take seriously our sin and the importance of confessing our sin to one another and to God. Below is a prayer guide you can use individually or with your family. The guide is based upon David’s prayer of confession in Psalm 51. 

Repent from Your Sin (Psalm 51:1-6)

1. Recognize the punishment your sin deserves.
2. Take responsibility for your sin. Don’t blame others or God.
3. Grieve over your sin.

Seek Forgiveness for Your Sin (Psalm 51:7-12)

1. Ask God for forgiveness.
2. Ask God to restore your joy.
3. Ask God to draw close to you. 

Pray for A Fruitful Life (Psalm 51:13-19)

1. Ask God to sanctify your life for the purpose of reaching people for Christ.
2. Ask God to turn your life to a sacrifice of praise.
3. Ask God to bring revival to the Church.