If You Pray for Someone...      
 

by Terry W. Benton

 

You change your attitude about their value. If you pray for someone you do not like, it changes your attitude toward them. You now see them as someone God values. Prayer for that person changes the way you are toward them. Prayer changes your heart. (Mt 5:44-45) It is hard to gossip about and backbite a person for whom you are praying. It makes such a prayer hypocritical, or it makes you stop demoting the person and tearing them down. Either way, prayer is powerful because it keeps our hearts and attitudes accountable to the One from Whom we seek favor, grace, and approval. Prayer changes us and then changes many other things. Can you imagine church splits where each member prays for each other? Lack of prayer for each other sets the stage for bad attitudes which in turn contaminate and destroy churches. (James 4:1-2) The prayer of a righteous person is considered by the king of kings. He wraps it into His mighty hand, considers the better good, and the better end results, and it avails to the ultimate better outcome. Someone will be blessed, and your prayer comes into the throne room for divine consideration. Just knowing that God values prayers, considers them, and is touched and moved by them, means someone is going to be blessed. Maybe not in the exact way we think, but in better ultimate ways. If Jesus died for us, He certainly loves to hear our petitions in the throne room of grace. (James 5:16) You never know what all happens inside yourself, and outside yourself, when a prayer is uttered from a sincere heart. I covet prayers! I want to exhort us all to pray for each other in all local churches. Churches composed of praying people, who love and pray for each other, make for a living, growing, and united family, and that is something God loves to bless!        Other Articles by Terry Benton Make His Paths Straight Deciding on Perspective Body Versus Soul They Hated Me First Subjective Spirit Leading The Pharisee Shield Review of Radical Restoration Chapter 1 These Things Became Our Examples The Fall and the Rising   For Past Auburn Beacons go to: www.aubeacon.com/Bulletins.htm   Anyone can join the mailing list for the Auburn Beacon! Send your request to: larryrouse@aubeacon.com