“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12 (NIV)
Many people know the Golden Rule, but they may not realize it's connected to prayer: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12 NIV).
That may not sound like it has anything to do with prayer—but it does. Has someone ever asked you to pray for them, and you thought, What exactly do I pray? I don’t even know where to start!
Here’s what you can do: Pray for other people the same way you’d like them to pray for you. Would you like to have safety and security and success in your life? Of course. Then pray for safety, security, and success in other people's lives. Would you like God’s financial blessing? Yes. Then pray for the financial blessing of God in other people's lives. Would you like to have a healthy body? Sure you would. Then pray for other people’s health. Would you like to make better use of your time? We all would! Then pray for others to use their time wisely.
God is your loving Father. The way he treats you as his beloved child is the way he expects you to treat everyone else. Whatever you want God to do for you, pray that same thing for other people.
Learning to pray like this makes you more like Jesus because it makes you more unselfish.
Job 42:10 says, "After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before" (NIV).
Job was one of the wealthiest men in the world, and one day, he literally lost it all. His children were killed. His business collapsed. His crops were burned. He lost his home. He got a terrible disease. He was miserable.
The book of Job doesn't say, "When Job prayed for himself, God heard him." Instead, God says that Job is ready for his blessing when Job begins to pray for his friends.
God is looking for you to be unselfish. When you begin to pray for other people's breakthrough, you’re going to see God provide for your breakthrough, too.
Rick Warren is an innovative pastor, renowned author, and global influencer known for founding Saddleback Church, the Purpose Driven Network, the PEACE Plan, and Hope for Mental Health. He has written several best-selling books, including The Purpose Driven Life, which has sold over 35 million copies in 200 languages. Time magazine named Warren the most influential spiritual leader in America and one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Since stepping down from the lead pastor role at Saddleback in 2022, Warren has continued to inspire people through his Daily Hope Devotional and podcast Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope. His first book in a decade, Created to Dream, was released in April 2023.
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
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