Awesome Prayer

8-19-08 – Bonita Park Camp, NM – I awoke early this morning to spend some time with the Lord. It has been incredible to meet with Him in these mountains. It was cool this morning with a bit of chill in the air as I climbed out of bed. I made my way over to a crude little wooden bench and desk that will serve as my “secret place” [Matt 6:6] for the remainder of this week.
My prayer time was refreshing today as I enjoyed conversing with Christ. He used two specific verses to speak to me. [Jn 14:13-14] Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name I will do it.
Two words really jumped off the page at me right away. The word “whatever” and the word “anything.” I had barely finished reading those verses when I began to make a mental checklist of all my “whatevers” and all my “anythings” to be brought before Him in prayer and laid at His feet. One by one I brought them all to the throne of grace and asked Him to do miracles for the glory of His name.
There were eleven petitions in all with another added later in the day. I will not bother you with them except with one. I asked the Lord to create a desire in my boys, in my future grand children, great grandchildren, and great great grand children to love and serve Jesus all of their days.
Later in the morning Taylor and I were talking. It was Taylor’s turn to come along with me on one of my preaching trips. I try to take a different son on such trips not only to spend time with them but foster their spiritual growth as well. We were walking in the crisp cool morning around a prayer pond surrounded by gorgeous mountains. We were talking about the greatness of God when I asked him to sit down and read those same verses that I had read earlier in the morning. He opened his bible to [Jn 14:13-14] and read those verses out loud. I asked him what he thought they meant. He told me and I then asked him what he wanted to ask Jesus to do. He prayed, “Lord, I ask you to help me and all my brothers to always serve you along with the rest of my family.”
My heart warmed and my faith ignited in agreement with my son’s petition. It is not enough that my children serve the Lord while they are young and impressionable. I want them to serve the living God all the days of their lives and to pass on the heritage of their faith to their children, grand children, and great grand children as I have sought to pass on the heritage of my faith to them.
What a joy to my ears and to my soul to hear my son praying such an awesome prayer that will bring much glory to our Heavenly Father. May Taylor, Tanner, Tucker, and Turner ever live to pray such awesome prayers in the ears of God. May God’s glory be further promoted through the Edwards family for generations to come. May Brenda and my four boys and my adopted daughter Jennifer and her husband along with all the future grand children and great as well as great great grand children take God at His word and pray more awesome prayers. To have that prayer answered would not only bring glory to God but would ensure that I lived a successful life and had a successful ministry.