Heartfelt Belief

April 7 – Prayer – Matt 6:6-7

                Jesus then talks about prayer that is based on religious service more than heart felt belief.  There  are religions in the world that have specific prayers for specific occasions.  Also as well there are prayers that people say along with special religious objects.  They are used like some sort of super natural talisman to protect the person praying. 

                In Jesus’ day the religious leaders would say long vain prayers or sets of spoken prayers written down to invoke God’s help or favour.  Religious leaders of His day were also involved in public prayers that were loud and designed to draw attention to the speakers so called piety or godliness.  Jesus said these types of prayer are vain and not effective.

                When people pray like this their prayers will have no effect.  Jesus says when you pray remember you heavenly Father knows what you need even before you pray it.  Jesus was addressing here the omniscience of God,  Daniel 9:24 and 10:12 tells us that even before we pray the answer is already on the way. 

                Prayer is a personal time of communion with God.  It is time to pray with your spirit, mind and heart.  Communing with God one on one.  It is a time of adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication.