Read Matthew 6:5-6. 1 Samuel 16:7
The prophet Samuel learnt an important lesson as he was seeking to anoint the Lord’s chosen one. Jesse’s sons had marched before him and Samuel was certain, when he saw Eliab, that this one was the one that the Lord would choose. Eliab was tall and handsome. He was a perfect specimen for a king. But God chided Samuel, ‘Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart’.
While the above statement by the Lord was not about prayer, the principle still holds true. As we pray, the Lord looks at the heart. We hear a person’s words but the Lord sees inside. The Lord sees the motives, the true intentions and the real state of the prayer’s heart.
As such, it’s fitting that Jesus decries and denounces those who pray with a show. He declares that those who love to pray and receive adoration and accolade from others have already received their reward in full. God will not hear their prayers, let alone answer them, because their hearts are not right before God. It would do us well to check out heart before we turn to the Lord in prayer. Why am I praying this prayer? What do I hope to achieve? For who’s glory am I praying?
Jesus then tells us to enter a room and to close the door and to pray in secret. Such a command is not an all-out removal of corporate prayer. Just read the Lord’s prayer quickly and notice that most of the pronouns are in the plural. What Jesus is telling us is that we should work hard at NOT being hypocritical. We need to build in checks and balances rather than seeking to glorify ourselves or promote our selves.
The pronouncement of the Lord is much like the pronouncement He made regarding giving. When we humble ourselves, whether in giving or in prayer, God will reward us. We can be confident when we seek God with a pure and right heart that He will hear our prayers. We know that He will answer. We can come before God with confidence and expectation.
Be encouraged by the words of 1 John 3:21-22.
Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from Him anything we ask, because we obey His commands and do what pleases Him.
Be encouraged and humbly seek the Lord in prayer.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray that God would provide abundantly for Straight Talk Ministries in terms of finances, open doors and conversions to Christ in repentance and faith. Pray that God would sustain Jim and Faye as they serve and minister to students.
¥ Ask the Lord to provide for Mustard Seed Orphanages in Myanmar. Pray that they would have enough food, clothing, shelter etc to provide for the orphans and widows and disabled people.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What signs can we look for that a person is boasting in their corporate praying?
2. If someone is found to be using prayer as a platform, what should we do?
3. If a person refuses to pray, what should we do?
No comments:
Post a Comment