Prayer For Future Generations

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Investing in Future Generations

Prayer For Future Generations

Dick Leggatt, President of Derek Prince Ministries – USA and this comprises his December 9, 2015 Newsletter.  Click here to receive the Derek Prince Ministries emailed E-devotional.

”What are you doing to reach the next generation?” 

”What are you doing to reach the next generation?”  This was the penetrating question posed to me recently at a lunch meeting with a dear friend of Derek Prince Ministries.  I had told him that because he is a contributor to DPM, we are accountable to him.  Therefore, he had the right to ask us anything he wished.  He certainly took me up on my offer!

Not only is the question a pivotal one for the future of DPM — it is also a very important matter for each of us to consider personally.  What am I doing to make an impact on generations to come?

This subject is highly significant for us as we close out 2015 and move into 2016.  Maybe the Lord has been pressing this theme into your awareness as well.  Let’s take a few minutes together to address this very compelling issue of reaching future generations.

An Urgent Matter

Long before my friend asked his pointed question, all of us associated with DPM worldwide have been addressing the urgency of this matter.  In fact, only a few days prior to my meeting with him, I had finished a thorough study of the word “generation” in Scripture.

 Some of the citations are somber and shocking, the one about iniquity being visited upon the third and fourth generations (Exodus 34:7).

 Or the verses about stubborn generations (Psalm 78:8); generations of wrath (Jeremiah 7:29); generations who insist upon going astray (Psalm 95:10); or evil, crooked and perverse generations (Deuteronomy 32:5, 20; Philippians 2:15).

On a more positive note, other verses cite God’s covenant faithfulness that extends for a thousand generations (Deuteronomy 7:9); to all generations (Psalms 89:1); to chosen generations us (1 Peter 2:9).

But one passage I discovered that succinctly addresses our mandate to reach the next generations is Psalm 71:17, 18: “O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wondrous works.  Now also when I am old and gray-headed (can you relate?), O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come.”

A Strong Priority

You could probably join me in testifying to the profound personal impact of Derek Prince’s ministry.  I credit much of the strength and stability in my Christian life today to Derek’s solid teaching.

 Therefore, a major priority for the worldwide work of Derek Prince Ministries is to see the impact extended “…to everyone who is to come.

”  If we fail in our efforts to touch succeeding generations, we will have missed a key opportunity in God.

That is why we have given high priority to connecting with future generations.  Here is the burning question that has motivated our focus upon Generation X (ages 35-50), Millennials/Generation Y (ages 20-35), as well as college and high school students: Will they have the same opportunity to receive Derek’s teaching as we did at their age?

To address this question, we are marshalling a significant portion of DPM-USA’s current efforts, as well as partnering with numerous organizations whose goal is ministry to young people and to the generations that are to come.

A Reflection of Derek’s Heart

This same focus was near and dear to Derek Prince’s heart, as I experienced firsthand.  I met Derek when I was 22 and he was 56.  By rights, he should have ignored me until I was a little older and more mature.

 Instead, Derek took an active interest in allowing me to work with him and relate to him.

  (The same was true of my father-in-law, Don Basham — and I know my relationship with Don helped my connection with Derek to grow so strong.)

I was one of many from my age group with whom Derek related very closely.  He actively reached out to the “hippie” generation — somewhat because Derek identified personally with those folks, considering himself a “hippie” before that term was ever used.

In my letter from a few months ago, I cited Derek’s heartfelt comment about future generations taken from Father God, a recently published booklet.

 I believe that if we could transmit this message to them [about coming to know God as their loving Father], there would be a tremendous response.

 I believe there are millions of young people just milling around — lost, confused, perplexed — because they don’t know the Father.

Spiritual Fatherhood

his longing to see future generations come to know God the Father, Derek himself became a spiritual father to many young people — myself included.

 Seeing his example, will we accept and pursue this same sense of responsibility for generations to come?  Here are a few points Derek made on this vital topic in a message called “Human Fatherhood — Spiritual” from his series on “Knowing God as Father.”

What makes a spiritual father?

First of all, he is a life source.  (I’ve learned that I was a life source to people I didn’t even know.)

Secondly, we impart what we are, not what we say.  There are spiritual genes.  (It’s more than mere words.)

Third, we must know the Father in His eternal nature.  We can’t reproduce a father whom we don’t know.

Fourth, it takes death to release life.  (The only people who can minister life are the people who have experienced a death of self.)

What are the results of spiritual fatherhood?

I think they’re exactly the same as the results of successful natural fatherhood.  They are security and maturity.  There is no other route I know to get there.  A person who has a good father image and relationship is basically a secure person — whether it is in the natural or in the spiritual.  It takes fatherhood to bring maturity.

A Generation Who Seeks Him

One more insight beyond what Derek shared, and then we will pray.

These thoughts from Psalm 24 came from my recent study of the word “generation,” and I hope they encourage you.  Psalm 24 begins with God’s sovereignty — a declaration that the earth and all it contains belongs to Him as Founder and Creator of the universe.

 The next section tells us who can stand in God’s holy place — those who have clean hands and pure hearts of integrity before Him. Regarding these people, Psalm 24:6 says: “This [such] is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face.

”  Can you identify yourself with that generation?

If so, it will inspire you to see the last three verses of this psalm — about opening ourselves up for the King of Glory to come in.  What is the point?  The reward you and I receive for being a generation who seeks the Lord is that we get to see the King in all His wonder.  The King of Glory will reveal Himself to us as such a generation!

Once you and I receive the revelation of His glory, we have the responsibility — regardless of our age — to pass it along.  It is our legacy to the generations who follow after us.

Count Me In!

Does Derek’s quote — along with this last insight — make you long to be one who seeks His face and passes along your legacy?  Why not let the Lord know your desire to be part of the generation described in Psalm 24?  Let’s do that right now with the following prayer:
    

Lord, count me in! I take my place with the generation of all those who seek You. I open every door of my heart, soul and mind to You — the King of Glory.

Also, Lord, I want to pledge that I will invest myself in future generations. I will fulfill the mandate to communicate Your goodness and faithfulness to those younger than myself. As Psalm 71:18 says, “I will declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come.”

Just as Derek modeled the example of committing himself in love to coming generations, I offer myself now to do the same.  I am Yours, O Lord. Use me to fulfill this important task. Amen.

Some Practical Applications

I believe the Lord has taken note of what you and I just prayed — and I believe He will take us up on our commitment to reach out to “… all those who are to come.”  Are you ready to take action on what we have just prayed?

I told you earlier that we are taking steps at DPM to reach younger generations.  Along with initiatives of our own, we are also working cooperatively with other organizations reaching these age groups.

 Over the last few years, DPM has been a partner in numerous events and conferences targeted toward young people — supplying large amounts of free materials and participating as speakers and workers in these events.

 There are plans for many more outreaches in the future — and DPM will be there with donated materials and staff members to help.

One of the ways you can be involved with us in these initiatives is through your continuing prayers and contributions.  Due to your generosity, many young people are being touched — experiencing the dynamic impact of Derek’s teaching upon their lives.  We are exploring innovative ways to make that happen — and you are a vital part of that outreach.

Honoring Derek’s Memory

In this year of celebrating what would have been Derek’s 100th birthday (August 14, 1915—August 14, 2015), we want to thank you for being involved with DPM.

  Even though twelve years have elapsed since Derek’s passing, the impact of his teaching legacy is growing exponentially.  DPM’s outreach is expanding all around the world.

 Your prayers and contributions are making that possible, and we are grateful to you.

Thank you for praying with us to express your personal commitment to future generations.  We welcome your participation in our outreach to them.

 As we close this year of celebrating Derek’s 100th “birthday,” what would be a fitting tribute?  You may desire to honor the impact of Derek’s teaching upon your own life through a special contribution to the ministry that bears his name.  We would be honored to receive it.

 In a similar vein, you may feel moved by the theme of this letter to sow a seed of hope and faith — an investment in outreach to future generations.  That would be a welcome gift as well.

To express our thanks for your generosity, it is our pleasure to offer a free copy of the message on spiritual fatherhood from which we took Derek’s earlier quote.  It’s our way of telling you how grateful we are for your partnership with us.

What will you and I do in the days ahead to reach the generations to come?  Can we partner together in strategic efforts to supply Derek’s teaching material to young people?  As we end this year and begin a new one, let’s be faithful to the mandate of Psalm 71:18:  “I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come.

All the best,
Dick Leggatt
President, DPM–USA

P.S.  Thank you again for your generous friendship.  Please let us know how we can be of further service to you — and don’t forget to click here to download your free gift of Derek’s message on spiritual fatherhood.  It will encourage you!

Materials used by kind permission of Derek Prince Ministries.

Источник: //www.hiskingdomprophecy.com/investing-in-future-generations/

Rights for Future Generations – An Economic and Political Solution

Prayer For Future Generations

“We need to take steps to stop catastrophic, man-made climate change. If we do not act, the consequences will be devastating for future generations, especially for the poorest global populations.”
— Barack Obama

Educational solutions to the sustainability crisis are vital, but not enough. Our economic system needs a complete transformation — from an inequitable, war-time, fossil fuel-based economy to a healthy, equitable, peaceful and vibrant perpetual*-energy-based zero-carbon economy. And our political systems need a swift and stern reminder that posterity matters!

We need a political movement and an economic revolution that will give legal, economic and environmental rights to our descendants. We need to remind those “in power” that we are a species any other, and that we must work to ensure our progeny's survival, every other species does.

For some species, this means scattering their seeds to the wind. For others, it means protecting their eggs until they have hatched, or licking their babies clean so that predators can't detect their scent. For still others, it means long treks, year after year, to find food sources and watering holes.

For human beings, ensuring our descendants' survival means enshrining legal, economic and environmental rights for them into our laws and constitutions. Right now, people in the future have no rights. At present, our economic system externalizes (doesn't consider or account for) the costs of environmental degradation and social injustice.

* Perpetual energy means renewable energy sources minus burning. Burning anything (even biofuels or biomass) emits carbon into the atmosphere, and therefore doesn't have a role in our efforts to achieve a zero-carbon economy and lifestyles.

“If future generations are to remember us more with gratitude than sorrow, we must achieve more than just the miracles of technology. We must also leave them a glimpse of the world as it was created, not just as it looked when we got through with it.”
— Lyndon B. Johnson

Humanifesto for the Rights of Future Generations

We hold this truth as self-evident, natural and divine law, incumbent on all humanity.

Future generations of human beings have the same natural rights as present generations.

Present generations must honour and safeguard the rights of future generations — to the seventh generation.

The living inherited their rights from the will of past generations and it is our sacred duty to uphold and protect the natural rights of the future.

These natural rights are the right to live, in freedom from tyranny and terror, with sufficient security of

  • water
  • food
  • health, and
  • safe habitation

and to do so for their natural lifetime.

“We owe at least this much to future generations, from whom we have borrowed a fragile planet called Earth.” — Maurice Strong

At this moment in human history, all systems of the biosphere are being degraded at such a rate that the survival of humanity is threatened.

In the not-too-distant future, it may be too late to prevent the collapse of civilization from global climate change within this century — if we don't make drastic changes in our energy production and consumption in short order.

We are witness to the start of the greatest crime against humanity, and the greatest offense against Creation, ever.

This is the result of a system of government, law and economics that denies rights to those who don't yet exist — as if civilization permits the living to plunder and abuse the birth rights of the next generations.

This is not civilized behaviour. It is behaviour without ethics, morality, or justice. It is inhuman — and inhumane.

At this time, we want to be able to ensure the survival of our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. But how can we safeguard the future?

We must change the laws and the economics that deny the right of future generations to live a decent life simply because they are not yet alive. We can declare this denial to be the ultimate sin and the ultimate crime. We can declare it, on behalf of the voiceless generations to come, to be evil … the ultimate oppression and exploitation of the most defenseless.

Any law, any economy and any government that denies these natural rights to those who will come after us has no legitimacy in human civilization.

Thinking an Ancestor

How is it that our generation, our culture, thinks it can do anything at all to the Earth, with impunity?

How can we allow our greenhouse gas emissions to continue when we know they will damage the planet our children inherit (because their effect starts 30 years from now due to the ocean heat lag) and when we know that global warming lasts for thousands of years? Today's atmospheric greenhouse gas pollution is damaging “their” Earth — the Earth of our children and all future children.

  • When did the rights of future generations to a healthy and habitable planet become so eroded?
  • Why don't we feel any sense of obligation to the future?
  • Where and when will the interests of future generations be voiced?
  • Who is going to protect the future? What can you and I do?
  • ******

    We'd been asking ourselves these questions — and wondering how to put the rights of future generations at the centre of all our deliberations and decisions. Inspired by the guiding question of sustainable design expert, William McDonough …

    How do we love ALL of the children, of ALL species, for ALL time?

    … we want to speak up for the voiceless generations to come. That's when it came to us. Of course! A global legal and political campaign that demands their rights. A civil rights movement that gives voice to the voiceless.

    It's up to people everywhere in the world to make history by making “rights for future generations” happen.

    We must all affirm that our descendants have the legal and economic right to a healthy and habitable planet … once we're done with it.

    “Let us make future generations remember us as proud ancestors just as, today, we remember our forefathers.” — Roh Moo-hyun

    Precedents for Enshrining Legal and Economic Rights for Future Generations

    Humans in our (EuroAmerican) culture sometimes forget that we're a species ( all the others on Earth) and that one of our fundamental roles is to perpetuate our species.

    Those of us old enough to remember the 1950s used to hear about it all the time — parents would say things , “We're working hard to give our kids a better chance in life,” or “We don't mind making sacrifices if it means our kids will go to college.” Louis Armstrong even sang about it in the heartwarming song, Hello Brother. (“A man … wants a chance to give his kids a better life.”)

    How times have changed! Nowadays, sacrifice seems to be a dirty word, and parents who still work hard for their children are considered chumps in many places. The “Me Generation” grew up and forgot about their children and grandchildren and further descendants. There's a bumper sticker that says it all:

    We're Spending Our Children's Inheritance

    Nevertheless, over the centuries, some human civilizations and societies have adopted strategies for putting the rights of their children and grandchildren first. The following are examples of precedents for “enshrining” legal and economic rights for those to come, or at least heading in that direction.

    If you think that human beings in the future have the right to a healthy and habitable planet once we're done with it, please write to your elected officials, and talk to others about this idea.

    Thank you, on behalf of all the children — of all species — for all time.

    Go to “Econoclastic” Economics 101

    Return to GreenHeart Education Homepage

    Источник: //www.greenhearted.org/future-generations.html

    Praying For Your Children’s Future Spouses

    Prayer For Future Generations

    How do we pray for our children’s spouses in a culture where the covenant and definition of marriage is always ever changing? Christian parents should be alert and on their knees even before the birth of their children—interceding with much fervency and soberness. Generations of future children will be affected by the course of our prayers. How can we make this a priority so that our children’s children will be blessed as well as salt and light in a fallen world?

    “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14)

    It seems obvious that our children should want to marry a Christian man or woman. However if they allow their hearts to become entangled with emotional ties towards an unbelieving person—it could be very difficult for them to walk away. Pray that the Lord would impress upon their spirits the precept of connecting with believers in close relationships.

    “He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.” (Acts 10:2)

    Praying for your future son or daughter-in-law’s family allows you the opportunity to intercede that God will have a place in their lives at a young age.

    Many good or bad habits can be formed or broken in children. Your prayers can be effective even though it may be years later before you actually meet the family.

    How wonderful it would be to acknowledge how you’ve been praying for them for years!

    “So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features” (1 Samuel 16:12)

    Being in good health in spirit, mind, and body gives that extra edge for children to do well in the home, school, church, and community. Your son or daughter will desire to start off their marriage with vigor and strength. Interceding for their vitality brings blessings upon the next generation.

    “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8)

    You will desire a future son or daughter-in-law who will instinctively put their families’ needs before their own. Pray that God will give them the desire and dignity to live selfless lives. Petition that they will be driven to honor God with the fruit of their labor in tithes and offerings without becoming overworked or driven by the love of money.

    “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments” (Deuteronomy 7:9)

    Imagine how magnified your joy will be to see your children’s children following after the Lord with all their hearts! When you pray for your children’s future spouses, intercede for them to actively engage their family towards living for God with prayer, Bible study, and Christian fellowship.

    “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18)

    There are many temptations and strongholds that take hold of a young person’s heart and they could spend a lifetime attempting to get free. Spend time interceding that God will protect and keep them from the entanglements of drugs, alcohol, or any other vice that can cause disruptions to their marriages and families.

    Pray that the love of God will be deeply rooted in their hearts and will keep them together in spite of the storms of life.

    “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37)

    A husband or wife who truly loves God with all their heart wants to please the Lord in their marriage. Their marriage will face many trials in the next generation that will be very different from your experience. Pray that the love of God will be deeply rooted in their hearts and will keep them together in spite of the storms of life.

    Get On Your Knees and Pray!

    Marriage is the one covenant that is binding until death so it’s necessary to begin your intercessory prayer for future sons or daughters-in-law as soon as possible.

    Never underestimate the power of a praying father or mother that can reach far into the future generations.

    Resist the urge towards laziness and plan to set aside a certain time of the week to intercede for your children’s future spouses. If you don’t, who will?

    Resources – New International Version Bible, The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblca, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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    as: Children, family, Marriage, Prayer, Spouse

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    Источник: //www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/praying-for-your-childrens-future-spouses/

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