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Empty Words – A Hypocrite’s Language

7-8th March Weekend Edition

“When you pray don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.”

Matthew 6:5

Corporate prayer, when done in the right way, can be so edifying, encouraging and uplifting. Yet there is a stark difference to praying as a united body and praying so everyone can hear your eloquent long speeches to God. The key to an effective prayer, as we talked about yesterday, is asking in faith, believing that you will be answered and be thankful for the response you will receive. An ineffective prayer, is a prayer that is prayed so others can hear what you are saying to make yourself look good and sound clever. This is exactly what Jesus was addressing here in today’s passage. The Pharisees and Scribes, often named as the hypocrites, tended to pray loud, long and wordy prayers, not to enhance their relationship with God but to show off their superior spirituality to others around them. However Jesus directly challenged this attitude and corruption of what prayer really is. He even adds that the only reward for their prayer would be the response they received from the people listening. It may seem harsh but praying in this manner is completely missing what prayer is. There is no use in praying, if you are praying so other people can enjoy your churchy jargon. Prayer is a heart to heart communication with God. Period. Again, that is not to say that praying out loud or corporately is wrong. On the contrary; when in the right context and in purity, honesty and sincerity, corporate prayer can be so powerful and strategic. The issue Jesus challenges is that of an insincere and self-edifying prayer. When you pray, whether corporately or privately, imagine that you are sitting at the very feet of Jesus and having a real conversation with Him and that He is the only one listening.

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Ask, Believe and Receive

6th March

 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Matthew 7:7

Part of praying is believing that what you pray for will happen. That is called faith. Faith is not found in prayers of eloquent words or in prayers that have been prayed for long periods of times. Faith is quite simply knowing who it is I am praying too, and knowing that if I ask in His Name and in accordance with His will, it will be done.

Jesus reminds His disciples that an effective prayer is one that believes and receives. If you ask, receive what you are asking. If you are seeking, then you will find and if you are knocking, the right door will open for you. The key is simply believing and receiving in faith. God knows what you need even before you ask. That is why He has already prepared your answer, even before you pray. Yes there are sometimes, when God allows us to make our own decisions based on common sense and God living in us. Yet, when we need divine inspiration, healing, break through, guidance and wisdom, Jesus is at hand to answer our prayers of faith.

The good news is that no prayer is too big or small for our loving Heavenly Father to deal with. He wants what is best for us every time. All we need to do is believe and receive. Don’t lack because you haven’t asked for it. Trust God and He will provide. Trust God and He will guide you.