PRAYING ARIGHT

February 25, 2018

Matthew 6:6-7

“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.”

Two things to avoid in personal prayers are a public display of prayer and display of oratory skills. These two things negate the essence of prayer and remove its power. It’s a hypocritical thing to want to pray so that men may see you and acknowledge you as a person of prayer. And some want to pray so loud that they can be heard if they are not seen. Why? It gives them a sense of spirituality when people notice their constant times in prayer. In the same way, some people think that by praying long repetitive prayers their prayers will be answered. The error here is in thinking that God will only respond when we keep repeating the same words again and again as though He were deaf.

We must flee from these two vices. God loves us, and He hears us when we sincerely pray secretly from our hearts. Once we divert into some sort of showmanship and the honesty in prayer is no longer there, then God will not hear us. We must be sincere and secret in approaching God in private communion. Of course, there is the place for public praying in the gathering of the Saints, but personal praying must be deep, reflective, sincere and not focused on the length of words. God looks at the heart of the man praying before God chooses to respond. The same principles apply with fasting. Make it secret, and God will reward you openly (Matthew 6:16-18).

“Lord, how the human heart is so easily deceived and diverted. Preserve my heart and keep me sincere when I fast and pray. May I never do these to impress anyone, and of course, I can’t impress You for You know me through and through. Keep my devotional prayers simple, sincere, short and sharp. In Jesus name. Amen.”

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