The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 13 April 2019 – Functional Prayer
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TOPIC: Functional Prayer
READ: Matthew 6:5-18 King James Version (KJV)
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
THE MESSAGE:
One of the privileges we have as children of God is prayer. Through prayer, we receive mercy and grace to help in time of need and find peace that guards our hearts and minds. But this privilege does not mean that God must answer all prayers. In today’s reading, Jesus talks about two basic kinds of prayer. The first is showmanship prayer by which the person praying draws attention to himself seeking to be known as spiritual and holy.
The second is relational prayer – one that seeks time with the Father. This prayer is offered to be seen and heard of God according to a pattern (as taught by Jesus) and with a merciful heart. God answers such a prayer.
Is your prayer marked by humility and pleading for mercy or do you make a show out of your prayers? Do you talk with God when you pray or you talk to yourself? Remember, God is not swayed by quantity of words, but by quality of the heart! Most important is the fact that if you do not have a private prayer life, there is no good praying publicly. If you believe that God hears prayers and rewards those who diligently seek Him, then make sure you offer the kind of prayer that God is pleased with.
Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to pray from a pure heart in accordance with Your will and in faith.
