Thought For Today - August 31 - What did Jesus Say About Prayer ?

 
  Thought For Today -August 31
  What Did Jesus Say About Prayer?
  By: Robert A. Searles

    "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint." Luke 18: 1.

    As the children of our heavenly Father we ought always be in communication with him through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

    "Pray without ceasing" 1 Thessalonians 5: 17.

    What is prayer? Prayer is not just a sentimental poem, memorized or read with an amen attached at the end. Prayer is not just some ritual performed in a ceremonial format at some public occasion. Prayer in its' true essence is the spirit and soul of man reaching out to contact and commune with the spirit of God, the creator and Father.

Jesus taught that when we pray, we should call to our Father which is in heaven, and our Father which is in heaven will hear our prayers and answer us; but we must come to him and enter into his presence with clean hands and a pure heart which can only be made clean by the shed blood of our Savior Jesus Christ.

    Jesus taught that there are those who only pretend to know God as Father, and like to stand in the streets and public places and pray so as to be seen and commended by men. They read prayers addressed to some unknown God only to be heard by those standing around and ready to salute them for their piety.

    Real prayer, real communication between a child of God and his Father in heaven is a personal matter between the two communicators. Jesus advised us to go into the closet where no one can see us and close the door and have a one on one conversation with God.

    Jesus said: "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. But when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them; for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him." Matthew 6: 5-8.

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