We all have been there. The pastor or a leader opens the service or closes in prayer and in Jesus' name goes on to praise a number of people for what they have done in service to God. Of course, it is good to give credit to folk who have served with a pure heart. But there is a tendency which must be avoided which assumes God and praises man. In the context of service to God with the whole heart, soul, mind and strength, we must not be guilty of feigning love to God while fawning over man. I write this, of course, as a pastor who finds himself in such a compromising position on occasion. I suppose this principle applies equally to all manner of indirect prayers that occur in our prayer meetings, where in the name of God, the pray-er directs his personal agenda or even "preaches" to others in the room. Nothing is so destructive to good prayer.
All this comes down to integrity of purpose and to good intentions that would rather go out of its way to glorify God than to let the opportunity pass.
(Hm-m-m, I wonder what they're praying about?)
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