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Scriptures Referenced and Quoted
Luke 18:9-14, Romans 3:22-24, Matthew 6:5-15
Thought Nugget
When we pray God looks at our hearts and sees the truth of our condition. Humility is rewarded while boastfulness and pride are not. Prayer is for the sake of communication between you and God, not to prop ourselves up in the sight of man.
Today’s Complete Thought
Today we’re going to be reading about prayer and the heart that we have when we approach God. I’ll be reading from Luke chapter 18 verses nine through fourteen.
“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Luke 18:9-14(NIV)
From reading the segment we can easily wonder what it means to be humble. In scripture being humble means being honest about ourselves. The tax collector was humble and acknowledged his position before God as being a sinner while the Pharisee had slipped into the sin of pride thinking himself to be better than the tax collectors, robbers, evildoers, and adulters. In the eyes of God, all have sinned.
A fact that Paul makes clear to us when writing his letter to the church in Rome. While settling disputes between the Jews and Gentiles he explains that all were equally in sin and equally needing the redemption that came through faith in Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:22-24 Referenced)
Jesus gave to His disciples instructions for prayer in Matthew 6 verses 5 through 15. Saying that they were not meant to do so on street corners and loudly for the sake of being seen and recognized by others in order to receive praise from man. Nor were they to use many words like the heathen who thought they would be heard by their many words.
Instead of doing these things, He told them to go into their rooms and shut the door revealing that prayer isn’t something to brag about doing. Providing a stark contrast to those whom He had spoken about earlier. Teaching that God sees those who pray and the hearts of these people. He hears both prayers but will choose to respect the one who was focused not on themselves but on bringing glory to God. This is why Jesus told the parable of the tax collector and the pharisee.
Praying in secret means praying in a way that keeps from garnering the attention of others. When we pray things that are in alignment with God’s will it shall be granted but if we do not then our request to God shall be denied. And if one happens to pray in public but they do so desiring only to bring God to glory their petition is just as likely to be granted as if they prayed with no one watching. For while they were in public they didn’t seek their own glory and nor were they praying for the attention of others to be upon them. There is a difference between praying in public for the sake of being seen and praying while happening to be in public.
Praying about many things is not the same as using many words. If there truly are many subjects on our hearts that we need to surrender to Him, it is okay. But if we repeat things because we do not know what else to say, we might be using an excess of words. In those times, it is best to be silent and listen for Him to answer us through the Holy Spirit who dwells within Christians. As I was writing this blogcast I heard Him tell me to give this message.
“Let the Lord speak to you, His people.” Then after hearing God tell me those words He directed my thoughts to recall some things that I’ve learned. When we hear His word and obey His commands we are brought under God’s authority and by extension, His protection. When we answer the question of “How do we pray?” it should be like this. We should pray with the purpose of growing closer to God. Communicating to Him our concerns and feelings that we have in life.
Read the Bible, His written word for it is what we have been given as a way of constant contact beyond prayer. In prayer, we talk to Him. And through the Bible, He talks to us. Holy Spirit bridges that gap by making verses stand out to us and by causing a recall of what we have read in the past. And if we desire to go the next step He shall grant our desire by providing moments of talking back to us in our minds. As one speaks with their friends He shall speak with a voice in our minds we can process.
These times are meant to build the relationship between you and God. Between you and your personal savior Jesus. A friend who has kept track of what you’ve been up to but you haven’t spoken to for a while. So speak and ask questions about life. It’s what I did the first time I started hearing Him consistently. Go ahead and ask about the small things you wonder about. Or ask God the not-so-small things. Don’t worry, God can handle those questions.
He may not answer immediately but He will be gladdened you’ve cared to ask the question. Joyful you’ve wanted a friendship and not just a consumer mindset of “insert piety here, receive blessings at the bottom door there.” Do not give up searching for a deeper relationship with Him but continue going forth. The silence can be there because He might be waiting for you to round the corner and then give you a surprise hug but doesn’t want to give it away too early because that ruins the joy of the surprise. Or it’s because you’ve decided to shut the metaphorical door to your room, and have cranked up the music player too high so that it drowns out the sound of Him knocking on the door. Your reason for shutting the door and cranking up the music is irrelevant to the fact that you’ve chosen to shut Him out and be on your own.
If you are listening to this and are one of those who have chosen to shut Him out I beg of you to stop and open the door again to Jesus. Ask Him to reveal the truth of who He is and to remove all false ideas about His character from your mind. It will be a process but you’ll learn little bits and pieces of who He is along the way when you are ready for them or He’s deemed it necessary for you to learn it at that moment.
Keep pressing on everybody. Continue to seek Christ Jesus and obey Him as our Master. Until next time, Courage and Godspeed.