23 PRAY FOR WHAT’S LASTING.

Let my prayer be set before You as incense.

     —Psalm 141:2

The prayers of the saints rise eternally as a sweet aroma of incense before the throne of God. “Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” (Rev. 5:8–9).

Saints pray for what’s lasting, what’s invisible, what’s eternal and what’s close to the heart of God. Stop whining and complaining to God. Stop asking God for stuff outside of His will. Stop seeking for what’s of the flesh and not of the Spirit.

Too many Christians put up a stink before His throne instead of offering to God the sweet aroma of the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.

Stinking thinking leads to stinking praying. Stinking praying defiles us and never lasts before the throne of God; it evaporates into the winds of time.

Praying for what lasts is praying God’s kingdom to earth. Pray for workers in the harvest. Pray for souls to be saved.

Pray for God’s Spirit to empower you to do good works in serving “the least of these” and “giving a cup of water in Jesus’ name.”

Jesus,

Save my family, friends and enemies. Grant me the resources to serve the poor. Make my life and prayers count for eternity. Amen.