Praying for the Next Generation

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” 3 JOHN 1:4

 

PONDER THIS

What is your purpose for your children? Why did you have children? Some people say, “I want someone to love, and I want someone to love me.” That’s fine. But what is the burning ambition you have for your child? Is it fame? Is it money? Is it power? Is it prestige? Is it notoriety? What do you want? What do you see as the purpose of your child?

Joyce and I have wonderful children whom we pray for regularly. Every day we join our hands and pray for our children, and we call them by name, along with our grandchildren. We prayed for them before they were born. We asked God to give them to us, and we pray for them as they grow and learn.

I do not pray that they will be successful in business. I am not praying for them to be famous. I don't even pray that they would be wealthy. I have prayed that God would keep them strong and give them joy. But do you know what the burning prayer of my heart has been for my children? That they would know and love God with all their hearts. That’s the desire of my heart. There is “no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth.”

How do you pray for your children or for the next generation? How might you begin?

Who poured into you spiritually as you were growing up? How did their prayers and encouragement impact you?

PRACTICE THIS

Thank the people who poured into you. Encourage others in the next generation and pray for them.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Pray Before the Battle

“So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, ‘If you take me back home to fight against the people of Ammon, and the Lord delivers them to me, shall I be your head?’ And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, ‘The Lord will be a witness between us, if we do not do according to your words.’ Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them; and Jephthah spoke all his words before the Lord in Mizpah.” JUDGES 11:9-11

 

PONDER THIS

Jephthah’s confidence was not in himself but in God. The words in this passage give us a glimmer of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus will ask you the same question: “If I deliver you, will I rule over you? Will I be your head?” I want to tell you very clearly and plainly that unless He is your Sovereign, He’ll never be your Savior.

How much like our Lord was Jephthah? Those who despised him, rejected him, hurt him, and cast him out—they were the ones he came to save. In verse 11, we see that he went to God in prayer and asked for strength. He did this before he went to battle, not afterward. Prayer was not his last resort; it was his first thought. He entered battle in prayer. Don’t claim to be a person of strength if you’re not a person of faith, and don’t claim to be a person of faith if you’re not a person of prayer.

What does it look like to have confidence in God daily? How does that change the way you live?

What is your confidence in right now? What are some ways you need to grow in dependence on God?

PRACTICE THIS

Think about your last spiritual battle. Confess to God the places you often go before coming to Him for strength.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Pray for His Fame

“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.’” (Matthew 6:9)

Dozens of times Scripture says that God does things “for his name’s sake.”

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3)

For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt. (Psalm 25:11)

He saved them for his name’s sake. (Psalm 106:8)

For my name’s sake I defer my anger. (Isaiah 48:9)

Your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. (1 John 2:12)

If you ask what is really moving the heart of God in all those statements (and many like them), the answer is that God delights in having his name known and honored.

The first and most important prayer that can be prayed is, “Hallowed be your name.” I used to think this is an acclamation. Like, “Hallelujah! The Lord’s name is hallowed!” But it’s not an acclamation. It’s a petition. Actually a kind of imperative or command. Lord, let it be! Cause it to be. May your name be hallowed. This is my request, my prayer. I am urging you to this: Cause people to hallow your name. Cause me to hallow your name!

God loves to have more and more people “hallow” his name. That’s why his Son teaches Christians to pray for it. In fact, Jesus makes it the very first and paramount prayer. Because this is the first and great passion of the Father.

“Lord, cause more and more people to hallow your name,” that is, esteem, admire, respect, cherish, honor, reverence, and praise your name. More and more people! So, you can see it is basically a missionary prayer.

John Piper 

Pray. Believe. Receive.

“So Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,” it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.’”

MATTHEW 21:21-22

 

PONDER THIS

I’ve heard many say, “You know, Pastor, I’m saved, but I’m struggling in my Christian life. I’ve got worldliness. I’ve got problems. I’ve got temptations. How am I going to overcome?” Trying to live the Christian life is like struggling to get out of quicksand. The more you struggle, the deeper you sink till you come to the place where you say, “I can’t. He never said I could, but He can. He always said He would, and I’m going to trust Him.” That’s more than a play on words. This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. And if you are bound by some problem or some habit, quit trying and start trusting. Believe God for the victory.

This is also true for soul winning. How are you going to be a soul winner? By believing God. Spiritual wealth comes by faith. Salvation comes by faith. Sanctification comes by faith. Soul winning comes by faith. Supplication, our prayers being answered, comes by faith. Pray and believe, you’ll receive; pray and doubt, you do without.

What are some ways you have tried to live the Christian life on your own? How did that go?

Is there a habit of sin in your life that only He can redeem? Are you willing to repent and live in victory through Christ?

PRACTICE THIS

Speak out loud about God’s ability to change you and grow your faith. Remind yourself of His promises and who He is by saying it loud so you can hear it and remember it.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Do You Pray for Revival?

“‘Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.’ Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, ‘The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!’” 1 KINGS 18:37-39

 

PONDER THIS

How much of your prayer life is consumed for the glory of God? Most of our prayers are “give me” prayers that have no concern whatsoever for the glory of God. But when Elijah prayed for God to reveal His glory, this fire consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the water, the dust. Do you want to be consumed by Almighty God? Would you like for God to come down on the sacrifice, which pictures the Lord Jesus Christ, and let that sacrifice be a sweet-smelling aroma to Him and to you? His glory is fire that consumes. His glory is the fire of revival.

Revival in this passage was a fire that consumed, a fire that convicted, and a fire that converted. Look in verse 39: Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, ‘The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!’” Those who were the fence straddlers, those who were ambivalent, fell on their faces to worship God. My heart yearns for that. This is not a work that can be done halfway—it is all consuming. This work will not keep you in your pride; it will open your eyes to your sin. This work will not keep you as you are; it will change your heart. We need God’s revival; it is something we should crave.

Do you desire God’s revival in your church and community? In what way?

What are some parts of revival that we don’t typically like? What are some challenges to revival?

PRACTICE THIS

Do a prayer walk in your neighborhood or community, asking for God’s revival.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Are You Depending on God?

PRAY OVER THIS

“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Romans 6:12-14

 

PONDER THIS

There was a man who had some wild pigs on his property, and he couldn’t catch them. Another man said, “I’ll show you how to catch those pigs.” He went and put some food on the ground and the pigs came out of the woods and ate. He did that for a while and then he put a fence post in the ground. The pigs saw it, but it was only a post, so they kept eating. And then he put another post, but they continued to eat. Then another; and after a while he built a little coral. Then he began to put up the wire.

After a while, the entire area was fenced in except for the gate. Pigs continued coming in through the gate and eating and going back out, but finally, he closed the gate, and the pigs are caught. The first man said, “Well, I didn’t think you could catch them, but you did.” The second man said, “I can control anything that will depend on me for its food.” This sounds nice when you are on the controlling end. But this story should lead us to consider what we are depending on for daily living? What are you looking to for the food of life? Have you considered that it may have control of you?

What is the daily “food” you are depending on? How is it affecting the way you live?

How can we make sure we are looking for life in God above all else?

PRACTICE THIS

Share with a brother or sister in Christ the things you are depending on instead of God. Pray for one another.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Are You Relying on Your Own Strength?

PRAY OVER THIS

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” James 3:13-17

 

PONDER THIS

I was driving down the road one day, and I saw a drunk man staggering along in disgrace. I recognized him, so I stopped the car and I said “Son, get in.” He got in and I drove him home. His dad and his mother were embarrassed. I started to leave, and the dad stopped me. He said “My son is not the only drunk in the family. I’m a drunk too. I’d be such a hypocrite to tell him not to drink because I’m a drunkard.” I said, “Why don’t you quit drinking?” He said, “I just don’t have what it takes.”

My heart broke for him. I said, “Imagine you were driving a team of wild horses, but they were getting away from you. You couldn’t make them stop and you couldn’t rein them in, but sitting next to you there in the wagon was someone you knew could control them. What would you do?” He responded, “That’s easy. I’d just turn the reigns over to him.” And I said, “That’s the only thing for you to do. Simply say, ‘Lord Jesus, I can’t.’”

Quit trying and start trusting. Simply turn the reins over to Him because there is only One who can contain those wild horses. He does not want to let them run wild, and He does not want to cripple them, but He will put that strength under His control and direction.

What is one thing you have struggled to put under God’s control?

Why do you think we often rely on our own strength to get things done instead of God’s?

PRACTICE THIS

Pray and surrender to God something you have been trying to use your own strength to solve.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

No Problems are Too Big for God to Solve

PRAY OVER THIS

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3-4

 

PONDER THIS

Do you know what most of our arguments are? Ego against ego! Self against self! Before long there’s going to be a war between those two kingdoms. The husband needs to step down from the throne of his life and enthrone King Jesus. The same is true for the wife!

How many kingdoms are there? There is just one kingdom—Jesus rules both thrones. And here’s a wonderful secret: The Jesus in the husband is not going to fight the Jesus in the wife. If Christ is on the throne of both lives, the husband and wife will be one spiritually. You’re going to be able to pray together and worship together. Because you’re one spiritually, is it easier to be one psychologically? Not always! Where is the problem psychologically? Why can’t we heal our arguments? Because of our egos. But when we take ourselves off the throne and enthrone Christ, we can solve those problems. There are no problems too big to solve; just people too small to solve them.

When has your ego affected an argument in which you were involved?

How can you get past your ego? What makes that so difficult?

PRACTICE THIS

Pray and repent for the ways your ego has hurt your relationships with others.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Do You Pray Together?

PRAY OVER THIS

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

 

PONDER THIS

Prayer is so important in marriage. We’ve tried to do it from the first day we got married. We pray for our children and our grandchildren, every day by name, lifting them up to the Lord because the Bible says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (Psalm 127:1). As I look back on the life God has given us, I would be a sheer fool, an unmitigated egomaniac, if I tried to take praise for what God has done. God answers prayer.

Some men don’t want to pray with women because they have a hard outer shell, but guys, humble yourselves, practice prayer with your wives. Let her hear you praying; let her hear you pouring out your heart before God. It will give her great confidence and great comfort. It will bring you closer to God and closer to one another.

When do you regularly pray? What would it look like to pray without ceasing?

What are some things that keep us from praying without ceasing? What can we do about those hindrances?

PRACTICE THIS

Set up a reminder for regular prayer in a place where you will see it daily, such AS on your mirror or at your sink.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

How Do You Pray?

PRAY OVER THIS

“But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.’”

Matthew 9:36-38

 

PONDER THIS

We don’t fight alone. I need you to pray for me. People tell me from time to time, “Pastor, I’m praying for you.” Many times, tears will come to my eyes when someone says that. There are six billion people on Earth. Some people have never been prayed for one time. If you have anybody praying for you, you’re blessed. We need to pray for one another. Husbands need to pray for their wives. Wives need to pray for their husbands. Parents need to pray for their children. The pastor needs to pray for his congregation. The congregation needs to pray for the people. We’re in the battle together and it’s a real battle, isn’t it? Let’s hold one another up in prayer. Let’s encourage one another. I don’t want us to lose this war.

We may be on the verge of one of the greatest spiritual revivals the world has ever seen. Things are happening—there’s a quickening. I speak to pastor friends, and I ask how it’s going. They say, “I don’t understand it, but God’s just moving in our church. Things are happening. Souls are getting saved.” How encouraging! The power of prayer is incredible.

What are the things you pray for most often?

How active is your prayer life? What are some things that cause you to pray more? What are things that prevent you from praying?

PRACTICE THIS

Reach out and let someone know you are praying for him or her today.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Do You Pray with Zeal?

PRAY OVER THIS

“Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.” Daniel 9:3

 

PONDER THIS

Have you ever “set your face” in prayer? Have you ever desperately sought the Lord? Many of us could not even remember what we prayed for this morning or last night. We rattle off our little prayers, like “Now I lay me down to sleep.” But have you really set your face to prayer?

What’s important is not the arithmetic of your prayers—how many prayers you pray. It’s not the rhetoric of your prayer—how eloquent or beautiful it may be. It’s not the geometry of your prayer—how long your prayer may be. It is not the emotion of your prayer—how sweet and juicy your prayer is. It’s not the logic of your prayer—how argumentative your prayer is. It is the faith and fervency of your prayer that gets to God. We’re too often guilty of playing church. We witness without tears. We pray without fasting. Is it any wonder that we sow without reaping and we have so little power in our lives? It’s time for a change.

When was the last time you prayed with the zeal described in today’s devotion?

What keeps you from this kind of prayer on a regular basis?

PRACTICE THIS

Spend devoted time in prayer today. Don’t spend your time seeking to drum up zeal for God. Instead, spend your time praying for the right heart and motivation in prayer. Ask God to give you His concerns as your own.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Do You Pray for Your Leaders?

PRAY OVER THIS

“The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” Proverbs 21:1

 

PONDER THIS

We are to pray for our government. First Timothy 2:1-3 says, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.” You may ask the question, “Should I pray for my leader if he’s wicked?” If that is the case, you should pray all the more for him. Why? Because God can change a ruler, remove a ruler, and overrule a ruler. Pray for those who are in authority.

One of the mightiest rulers in the Old Testament was a king named Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar ruled over ancient Babylon. Daniel was in the court of Nebuchadnezzar, and Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar where the king’s power came from. In Daniel 2:37, God said through Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar, “You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory.” Nebuchadnezzar was not a godly king. He was so full of himself that God brought judgment on Him. God set him up, and God brought him down. We can pray for even the most wicked leaders, asking our heavenly Father to deal with them rightly.

Have you ever struggled to pray for those in leadership? Why or why not?

What would it look like to pray fervently for leaders even when you do not agree with them?

PRACTICE THIS

Do some research and find out the names of your local, state, and national government leaders if you don’t know them. List their names and pray for them in their roles.

LWF Adrian Rogers 

How Do You Pray to God?

PRAY OVER THIS

“For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.” Romans 11:36

 

PONDER THIS

God is in the business of getting glory for Himself, and the reason many of our prayers are not answered is that we are not interested in the glory of God. We’re interested in our own personal gain. When you get interested in the glory of God, you’re going to see prayers start being answered. James said, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” (James 4:3) We’re to ask God for the glory of God.

This is why we pray in the name of Jesus. We are to ask in His name that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (See John 14:13.) Why do we pray in the name of Jesus? That God will be glorified. That’s what it means to pray in the name of Jesus.

In prayer, are you more likely to ask something of God or offer Him praise? Why?

When have you started a prayer with praise to God? How did that change your attitude as you prayed?

PRACTICE THIS

Spend time offering thanksgiving to God.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

God Wants Me to Pray

PRAY OVER THIS

“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.”

1 Corinthians 3:9

 

PONDER THIS

Why has God allowed us to pray? Have you ever thought about that? Prayer is so mysterious. What is the purpose of prayer?

God has given us the privilege of working with Him. God in His administration of the Universe has called us to be laborers together with Him. We work together with God as we work with one another, and we work with God in administrating the Universe. God wants to move through His people. Why would He do it that way? I’ve often used the illustration of flying an airplane. I don’t know how to fly an airplane, but there have been times when I’ve been up with the pilot and he would say to me, “Do you want to fly this airplane?” I’d say, “Sure.” So, he’d turn the airplane over to me. He was sitting there alongside me, of course, and he had his hands on his controls. I had mine on the other controls and was flying the airplane. I want to make it very clear that he could do it without me. However, I couldn’t do it without him, but there’s the joy of that fellowship as he says, “I’m going to let you help me fly this airplane.” That’s the way God wants to work with us through prayer.

Have you ever thought of yourself as a laborer with Christ? How does that change the way you see your purpose in the day-to-day?

What would it look like to pray as a laborer with Christ?

PRACTICE THIS

Pray with a friend for God to work in your community, church, town, and beyond for His glory.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Pray for His Fame

“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.’” (Matthew 6:9)

Dozens of times Scripture says that God does things “for his name’s sake.”

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3)

For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt. (Psalm 25:11)

He saved them for his name’s sake. (Psalm 106:8)

For my name’s sake I defer my anger. (Isaiah 48:9)

Your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. (1 John 2:12)

If you ask what is really moving the heart of God in all those statements (and many like them), the answer is that God delights in having his name known and honored.

The first and most important prayer that can be prayed is, “Hallowed be your name.” I used to think this is an acclamation. Like, “Hallelujah! The Lord’s name is hallowed!” But it’s not an acclamation. It’s a petition. Actually a kind of imperative or command. Lord, let it be! Cause it to be. May your name be hallowed. This is my request, my prayer. I am urging you to this: Cause people to hallow your name. Cause me to hallow your name!

God loves to have more and more people “hallow” his name. That’s why his Son teaches Christians to pray for it. In fact, Jesus makes it the very first and paramount prayer. Because this is the first and great passion of the Father.

“Lord, cause more and more people to hallow your name,” that is, esteem, admire, respect, cherish, honor, reverence, and praise your name. More and more people! So, you can see it is basically a missionary prayer.

John Piper 

Three Reasons Why You Pray

BIBLE MEDITATION

“And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, 'Abba, Father!'"Galatians 4:6

 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

People ask, “Should we pray when God already knows our needs? Why tell Him what He already knows? Or ask Him to do what He already wants to do?” We don’t pray to impress God or to inform Him. You can’t tell God anything He doesn’t already know. So why are we praying?

For fellowship. We invite God into our lives when we pray. We experience fellowship with Him, becoming “…workers together with Him…” (2 Corinthians 6:1). When we pray, God gives us the privilege of administrating His affairs. Of course, He could do it without us. But what joy that God allows us the privilege of doing it with Him.

For our growth. When we pray, God is growing us. Have you ever prayed and didn’t immediately receive what you asked for? What did you do? You kept on praying, but you also began searching your heart to see if something was hindering God’s answer. Many times there is. God uses prayer to grow us.

For dependence. Our Father never wants us to live independently from Him. If God just did everything for us and we never had to pray, soon we would begin to take things for granted. We would cease to depend upon God.

He knows what we need before we ask, but we’re told to pray and to ask—so we would have fellowship with Him, so we would grow, and learn to depend upon Him.

ACTION POINT

You don’t have to understand everything about prayer in order to pray. You may have valid questions about prayer, but don’t let your questions keep you from praying.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Do You Pray Like Jesus’ Disciples?

BIBLE MEDITATION

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”

(Philippians 4:6)

 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

Prayer is our greatest Christian privilege but—we may as well admit—our greatest Christian failure. We all need to learn to pray more and to pray better. But one of the reasons we don’t pray more than we do is that we have questions about prayer. We’re not sure what’s right and what’s not, so we become uncertain. Our uncertainly leads to less prayer.

But if we’re going to impact our families, nation, and the world, prayer is where we should begin. Just a casual glance at the book of Acts confirms how the disciples totally depended upon prayer. Just before Jesus ascended back to Heaven, He left them with The Great Commission and told them “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). True to His command, “Then they returned to Jerusalem…unto the upper room” and “…all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication…” (Acts 1:12-14), waiting to receive the Holy Spirit.

They didn’t make a move without seeking God through prayer for His guidance. “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer…” they said (Acts 6:4).

ACTION POINT

In these difficult days when there is such need for prayer—needs in our families and needs in the nation—are you making prayer a priority every morning as you begin your day? This commitment takes determination and discipline. If those who walked alongside our Lord for three years were dependent upon prayer, how much more so are we? What a grave mistake if we’re casual about our prayer life.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Our Good Is His Glory

“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6)

One common objection to Christian Hedonism is that it puts the interests of man above the glory of God — that it puts my happiness above God’s honor. But Christian Hedonism most emphatically does not do this.

To be sure, we Christian Hedonists endeavor to pursue our interest and our happiness with all our might. We endorse the resolution of the young Jonathan Edwards: “Resolved: To endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness in the other world as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.”

But we have learned from the Bible (and from Edwards!) that God’s interest is to magnify the fullness of his glory by spilling over in mercy to us — to us sinners, who desperately need him.

Therefore, the pursuit of our interest and our happiness, even if it costs us our lives, is never above God’s interest and God’s happiness and God’s glory, but always in God’s. One of the most precious truths in the Bible is that God’s greatest interest is to glorify the wealth of his grace by making sinners happy in him — in him!

When we humble ourselves like little children and put on no airs of self-sufficiency, but run happily into the joy of our Father’s embrace, the glory of his grace is magnified and the longing of our soul is satisfied. Our interest and his glory become one.

When Jesus promises in Matthew 6:6, “Your Father who sees in secret will reward you,” this is a reward he wants us to seek. He does not lure us with joy we shouldn’t have! But this reward — this joy — is the overflow of turning away from human praise, and going into our closet to seek God.

Therefore, Christian Hedonists do not put their happiness above God’s glory. They put their happiness in God himself and discover the glorious truth that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.

John Piper 

We need to pray with determination

BIBLE MEDITATION

“We have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments” Daniel 9:5

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

When Daniel sought God in this golden chapter on prayer, Daniel prayed with passion and repentance: “We have rebelled, departing from Thy precepts and Thy judgments.” You ask, “Did Daniel do all that?” No, Daniel simply included himself in his prayer for his nation.

Does God hold me accountable for abortion in America? Yes!

Does God hold me accountable for the pornography? Yes!

For the drug addiction, alcoholism, materialism, humanism? Yes, He does.

Friend, if the church had done what she ought to have done, and if we would do what we ought to do, these problems would be healed. And while we may not commit these sins, they are still our sins. Daniel 9:20 makes that so clear: Daniel says, “While I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel…”

Now, people who don’t know God aren’t going to confess the sins of this nation. Like Daniel, we must set our face and pray with resolve and repentance, confessing our sin and the sin of America. Only sin that is confessed is forgiven.

ACTION POINT

Have you ever “set your face” to pray? So much of our prayer, I hate to say, is casual prayer, prayer that comes with almost a take-it-or-leave-it attitude. Set your face before God today to pray as Daniel did. Pray with fasting and determination.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Does God want us to pray for wicked rulers?

BIBLE MEDITATION

“The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes” Proverbs 21:1

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

God can change a ruler, God can remove a ruler, and God can overrule a ruler. God reigns.

You ask, “Well, should I pray for my leader if he’s wicked?” You ought to pray all the more for him. Why? Because in 1 Timothy 2:1-3, the Bible says we should.

The greatest responsibility in America is not in the White House but in the church house. We’re to pray for our government and all those who are in authority.

ACTION POINT

Would you pray for America right now? You might pray, “Oh God, bless America. Lord, we deserve judgment, but we need mercy. Bring this nation, Lord, back to You. The troubles that we see in our land are tokens of Your love to bring us to our knees. Lord, it’s beyond us. God, we need You in America.”

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers