Prayer
5 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues
and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
6 "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.
Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
7 "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
8 "Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. "
[ Matthew 6:5-8 New International Version ]
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Jesus taught us how to pray. If you pray in a group, more or less in public, this is not the same as the hypocrites He
describes in verse 5. But the potential exists in group prayer for people to do exactly what He says do not do in verse 7,
which is recite rote formulated prayer such as is practised every Sunday, actually every day, all over the world as
believers and nominal Christians gather and follow a prescribed regimen of prayers.
In verses 9 through 13, (not shown here), He tells us for what we should pray. The words He spoke in providing to us a model
have been captured and formalized into a prayer named "The Lord's Prayer" or "The Our Father", which is without doubt
the prayer most often repeated in churches during Sunday services, at least in some denominations. Many times have I
recited, along with the congregants, those very words in various churches. And when I do it, though at the moment it feels
very personal to me, I remember what He said about pagan babbling.
My feelings and judgments about this are connected to the fact that the prayer is directed to God the Father. I have also
recited the Nicene Creed in like manner but it does not bother me. It is addressed to other listeners. The Creed is not
strictly a prayer but a statement of belief publicly uttered.
As you study the Gospels you surely will come to realize that Jesus was speaking to us individually as well as
collectively. He was teaching you and me how to have a direct relationship with God the Father through the name of
Jesus. You will read where he said He was building His church and not even the gates of hell could stand against it.
But you will not read how His church is organized, where it meets, what its rules and procedures are, and so forth
regarding all the complexities of modern religious organizations, Christian or otherwise. You won't read it because
it is not there. He left no such instructions. Well intentioned men appointed themselves as authorities over the body
of believers. The letters written by Paul are the foundation for most of church structure and procedure.
In verse 6 He emphasizes that our praying should be between us and the Father.
So what do we say to God the Father when we are alone with Him ?
Say anything you want to say about any subject. In your own words, spoken silently or aloud, tell God you deeply desire
a strong personal relationship with Him. Tell Him how grateful you are that He allows an ordinary immortal (now that you are
saved and have eternal life) to come before His throne and speak to and with Him, the Almighty, who cares for you.
Speak plainly and simply asking Him for guidance by His Holy Spirit to make you into what you can become. Ask that your
loved ones, by name, be called, drawn to Him, and saved. Ask Him for help for others who you know have needs whether
they be believers or not.
Tell God what is in your heart. As the Spirit calls to your mind your failings, tell Him you know you have sinned and
ask forgiveness. He is faithful to forgive our sins if we repent. Ask for guidance in how to live the way He wants you to
live. Ask Him for help in healing broken relationships on earth. Ask for what you need even though He already knows
what you need. I said need, not want. A child will ask God for a new bicycle and hope to receive it. An adult can tell God
how badly he needs dependable transportation and expect God to help with the need, but to ask GOD for earthly goods
is a gross failure to understand why He listens to our prayers.
"Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
[ Matthew 7:6-8 and 21:22 New International Version ]
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I presently live in the State of Florida in the United States. Our state has a lottery which pays out millions of dollars.
I can make good use of millions of dollars, could not you ? Each week I buy a lottery ticket. I have done this for more
than twenty years. There was a time when I thought I could ask God to give me the winning ticket. After a time I had a
sort of daydream sequence during prayer. In it, I heard God saying to me, " Let me see. You petitioned to win the
Florida Lottery this week. I have received 266,000 petitions for this week's winning numbers. Eenie meenie minie moe,
who should I give it to."
Can you see how ludicrous such a prayer is ? Every believer who buys a ticket hopes to win. For what possible reason
would God decide to interfere with a random event to satisfy any person's misguided belief that He would give it to them
if they asked in prayer ? I had to laugh at my own stupidity and thank God for showing it to me. Spiritual growth has led
me to a place where I understand to pray for spiritual strength to carry me forward to Paradise.
Rejoice evermore.
Pray without ceasing.
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
[ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 King James Version ]
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So I have listened to Paul and rejoice in the Lord always, no matter what is happening in my earthly life. I pray without ceasing
in the sense that all during my days at work or at rest I am communing with the Lord; sharing my thoughts and gratitude
for good things happening and especially for my salvation and the coming again of Jesus Christ to get me.
Jesus prayed for YOU
"I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours."
"My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one."
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,"
[ John 17:9, 15, 20 ]
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Hallelujah, that is you and me for whom the Lord Himself prayed to the Father.
You can see for yourself what he asked for you.
Meditation
1. to engage in thought or contemplation; reflect.
2. to engage in transcendental meditation, devout religious contemplation, or quiescent spiritual introspection.
[ Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009. ]
Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.
[ Psalm 48:9 New International Version ]
I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.
[ Psalm 77:12 New International Version ]
I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.
[ Psalm 143:5 New International Version ]
They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
[ Psalm 145:5 New International Version ]
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If you can find the time to spend in meditation you will be rewarded. There are mystics who can enter a zen state for
hours on end. Then there are people like me who are mentally hyperactive.
It is a struggle for me to 'be still and know that He is God' for even three minutes.
I know it takes application, practice, and self discipline, which I can seldom muster. You can meditate
on any subject. The psalmist, probably King David, meditated on God's love and on the works of God. To simply sit for a few
minutes and observe a splendid tree and think about how wonderful it is that such a thing exists and about Him who created it
will bring you greater appreciation of God and His works as well as draw you closer to Him.
Worship
"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth;
for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. "
[ John 4:23 New King James Version ]
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Jesus tells us that God the father SEEKS such worshippers. I wonder why. My mind and spirit rebel at the idea that God is ego driven
and wants adulation, yet the verse is plain. I can not read the original texts, nor can anyone else since none are known to exist.
All Bibles are translations from various ancient documents, some of which are nearer to the source and others which are
themselves translations from Hebrew or Aramaic to Latin or Greek, and so on.
Trying to sort it out I think He was referring to the practices of the day among the Jews who were very much into rules and
sacrifices and restrictions of many kinds. Their form of worship involved killing animals. God wants worshippers who worship
in TRUTH and SPIRIT, not in money, breast beating, dead animals or any other physical form.
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
[ Matthew 15:8-9 King James Version ]
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Here again He is talking about the Jews of His day who made a big show of worship but were not sincere and surrendered
in their hearts. We have such today, in every church, in every part of the world, where worship is form rather than substance.
Contemporary Christian worship is generally a structured format, either liturgical or non liturgical. Liturgical churches follow a
set process involving the same formulaic prayers day in and day out. Most notable for this structure are Catholic and
Orthodox churches, including there myriad sub-denominations which are not familiar to many people. They are not alone in
these practices. Episcopalians, Lutherans, High Presbyterians, Methodists, and others follow a set form.
Non liturgical evangelical and fundamentalist churches also follow a typical, though not mandated, form. It consists of music, which is the
worship phase, readings from the Gospels, then preaching or teaching. There are denominations and sects of Christianity which
follow different patterns which may involve seemingly absurd practices such as handling poisonous snakes or rolling in
the aisles or whatever. They can trace the legitimacy of their practices to some verse or passage in the Bible. Likewise, I could
go into a modern church and when they begin to collect the offering, pull out my whip and drive the money collectors out. I mean, if
it was righteous for Jesus to do it in the temple and I am His disciple trying to walk in His ways, should I not do what He did?
What I am saying to you is what Jesus said about the Jews in Matthew 15 cited above. Such practices do not satisfy GOD's
requirements for worship. Whether or not it offends Him I can not say, but Jesus said it is in vain, useless, of no effect.
If you want to worship God in complete freedom, get thee to an isolated spot, lift your hands heavenward, and pour out the
praises rising up from your Spirit filled inner person.
Worship in groups is somewhat problematic because of the need for all the participants to act in unison. Singing best
serves this situation. Everyone sings the same words at the same time [ except perhaps a child who thinks the lyrics to
'Our God Reigns' are, 'I got brains' or one who sings about 'Harold's Angels'. God may hear and treasure the praise of
such innocents far above your or my articulate renditions ].
The most beautiful worship sound I ever heard was in a Charismatic church where we sang in tongues ... glossolalia it is called,
with only the Spirit knowing what was uttered but clearly every note and syllable were sending true praise to the Father. I
believe no sound made by humans can compare in beauty to this sound.
Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written,
'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.' "
[ Matthew 4:10 New King James Version ]
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Not angels. Not saints. Not holy men or women. Not objects of any kind.
God and God only shall you worship.
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