A Practical Guide for Praying Parents

By Erwin W. Lutzer

Instead of an Anxious Parent, Become a Praying Parent

Any Christian mother and father, or grandmother and grandfather, desires what is spiritually best for their children. However, knowing how to pray for them can often be as challenging as knowing what to pray. Without proper guidance, our prayers are prone to become dry, repetitive lists of requests.

With the help of Dr. Erwin Lutzer, you can learn how your best, loving intentions can become enriching, effective intercessions for your children or grandchildren. Trade your lists of requests for Scripturally-based prayers that will immerse you in God’s promises and will. In A Practical Guide for Praying Parents, Dr. Lutzer addresses:

-How to pray when children have hardened hearts
-How to pray for children who have become wayward prodigals
-How to become a prayer warrior who prays in the face of spiritual warfare

This small guide will help you pray scriptural prayers that both bring you closer to God and bless your children. You’ll also find daily Biblical prayers crafted by Dr. Lutzer himself to help you begin your prayer journey. With your love for your children, your desire to help, and Dr. Lutzer’s guidance, your prayers can become effective ministry in the lives of those you care for the most.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Moody Publishers
• Release date: Jul 7, 2020
• ISBN: 9780802498977

Erwin W. Lutzer

Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer is Pastor Emeritus of The Moody Church, where he served as the senior pastor for 36 years. He is an award-winning author and the featured speaker on three radio programs that are heard on more than 750 national and international outlets. He and his wife, Rebecca, have three grown children and eight grandchildren and live in the Chicago area.

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© 2020 by ERWIN W. LUTZER

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

All emphasis in Scripture has been added.

Names and details of some stories have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.

Some of the content of this book was previously published on The Moody Church website. The adapted prayer of Daniel was previously published in Decision magazine. Used by permission. Content in the introduction and the daily prayers for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday were adapted from Covering Your Life in Prayer, copyright © 2013 by Erwin W. Lutzer, Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, Oregon 97408, www.harvesthousepublishers.com. Used by permission.

Edited by Amanda Cleary Eastep

Interior and cover design: Erik M. Peterson

Cover illustration of leaf frame copyright © 2019 by vectortwins / Shutterstock (1092403787). All rights reserved.

All websites and phone numbers listed herein are accurate at the time of publication but may change in the future or cease to exist. The listing of website references and resources does not imply publisher endorsement of the site’s entire contents. Groups and organizations are listed for informational purposes, and listing does not imply publisher endorsement of their activities.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Lutzer, Erwin W., author.

Title: A practical guide for praying parents / Erwin W. Lutzer.

Description: Chicago : Moody Publishers, [2020] | Includes bibliographical references. | Summary: Your best intentions can become effective intercessions for your children or grandchildren. Trade your lists of requests for Scripturally-based prayers that will immerse you in God’s promises and will. A Practical Guide for Praying Parents will help you pray scriptural prayers that bring you closer to God and bless your children-- Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2020004649 (print) | LCCN 2020004650 (ebook) | ISBN 9780802420404 (paperback) | ISBN 9780802498977 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Parents--Religious life. | Grandpareents--Religious life. | Parents--Prayers and devotions. | Grandparents--Prayers and devotions. | Bible--Prayers.

Classification: LCC BV4529 .L88 2020 (print) | LCC BV4529 (ebook) | DDC 248.3/2085--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020004649

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020004650

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We pass the torch to you

Contents 

Foreword

Introduction

1. Lord, Change Me

2. Lord, Change Their Hearts

3. Lord, Let Sin Become Bitter, So Grace May Become Sweet

4. Lord, I Refuse to Let Satan Have My Child

Let’s Start Praying

Monday: A Prayer of Blessing for Our Children

Tuesday: A Prayer to Keep Our Children from Evil

Wednesday: A Prayer for Freedom from Self-Incrimination

Thursday: A Prayer for Purity

Friday: A Prayer to Grasp Their Identification with Jesus Christ

Saturday: A Prayer for Spiritual Enlightenment

Sunday: A Prayer for Sundays … and for Sundays to Come!

A Prayer Beyond Your Family for the Nation

Postscript: Should I Fast for My Child?

Acknowledgments

Notes

Friend,

Thank you for choosing to read this Moody Publishers title. It is our hope and prayer that this book will help you to know Jesus Christ more personally and love Him more deeply.

The proceeds from your purchase help pay the tuition of students attending Moody Bible Institute. These students come from around the globe and graduate better equipped to impact our world for Christ.

Other Moody Ministries that may be of interest to you include Moody Radio and Moody Distance Learning. To learn more visit www.moodyradio.org and www.moody.edu/distance-learning.

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The Moody Publishers Team

Foreword

Erwin Lutzer is one of the foremost Christian authors in the world. His books have instructed and inspired people around the globe. My friend has now taken aim at one of the most critical issues facing believers in Jesus today. In his new book, A Practical Guide for Praying Parents, he is helping us to understand the power of prayer as it pertains to the spiritual needs of our children.

Years ago my wife Carol and I went through a long dark tunnel that seemed to have no light at the end of it. Our oldest daughter rebelled against both us and God, leaving us bewildered and heartbroken. This was the model child that grew up in church with parents trying to serve the Lord. I made every effort to reason with her but all to no avail. It was then that my eyes were opened afresh to the fact that only God could change our daughter’s heart. And He did!

Erwin Lutzer’s new book will do more than just answer your questions with sound biblical truth. It will also draw you to the throne of grace where miracles happen as God responds to simple childlike faith. This book is a blessing from the Lord!

JIM CYMBALA

Author and Pastor, The Brooklyn Tabernacle

Introduction

Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you" (1 Sam. 12:23). Those are the words of the Old Testament prophet Samuel who, in a single sentence, tells us two important truths: prayerlessness is a sin against the Lord, and we should pray without ceasing. If Samuel could speak to parents, I have no doubt that he would say:

It is a sin for you not to