Verse of the Day 4/18

 

Verse of the Day 4/18

 

Matthew 6:6    But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

English Standard Version (ESV)

 

In yesterday's post we considered how Jesus asked questions as a way of teaching.  In yesterday's verses He asked "why do you call me Lord and not do what I tell you" (Luke 6:46).  Today's verses are from the Sermon on the Mount and are the introduction to His teaching on prayer, specifically how to pray.  Three times in these few verses He says "when you pray".  It is not a suggestion, a good idea; by saying "when" He is telling us that this is something that we are to do.  It should become second nature to us, be part of who we are, be one of those building blocks and foundation to our faith.

 

 

Pastor James Smith writes,

 "Prayer is . . .an elevation of the soul towards its Maker, a pressing sense of our own ignorance and infirmity, a consciousness . . .

    of the perfections of God,

    of His readiness to hear,

    of His power to help,

    of His willingness to save.

 

Prayer is not an emotion produced in the senses, nor an effect wrought by the imagination--but a determination of the will, an effusion of the heart.

 

Sincere prayer gives . . .

a tone to our conduct,

a law to our actions,

a rule to our thoughts,

a bridle to our speech,

a restraint to wrong passions,

a check to ill tempers.  "

 

Read the passage below.  Go on and read the Lord's prayer in verses 7-15.  Read James Smith's statement again.  Then pray.  As James Smith wrote, may our prayers be  "a tone to our conduct, a law to our actions, a rule to our thoughts, a bridle to our speech,a restraint to wrong passions, a check to ill tempers" and may they; through the Holy Spirit enable us to do what he has called us to do today.

 

Blessings,

 

Mike

 

Matthew 6:5-13 The Message (MSG)

Pray with Simplicity

⁵ "And when you come before God, don't turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?

⁶ "Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.

^7-13 "The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They're full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don't fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. 

 

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