Wednesday, July 5, 2023

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 5 July 2023

Stay Prayerful but Use Your Inside Voice

“Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.” (Psalms 5:1-3)

Today’s Morsel: One of the first things the apostles of Jesus asked of Him was to teach them how to pray.  They saw that John had taught his disciples how to pray, they had observed Jesus praying, and so they wanted to know how to pray. Prayer must be an integral part of every Christian’s life. As a matter of fact, it is your lifeline to heaven. But sad to say, many people do not know how to pray.  Some folks pray to be heard, while others pray to be seen, and others think that it presents them as being spiritual. Prayer is not shouting to the top of your lungs nor what you and others are going through. Nor is it spiritual warfare. Prayer is a tool for relationship building between you and Jesus. If you want your enemy to keep defeating you, keep yelling out telling him where you are, and what you are going through. Yelling on the battlefield lets your enemy know exactly where you are and gives him the advantage against you, which helps him to direct his forces against you,  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 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. 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. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 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.” (Matthew 6:5-13) If you and Jesus are the only ones in the room, why do you need to yell and scream. I don’t think He’s deaf.  Even if others confess unto us their faults, or we know of other’s needs, we ought to use wisdom when praying for them in public places. Stay prayed up but use great wisdom in the process. 

Sing: Hear my cry O’ God, attend unto my prayer, from the ends of the earth will I cry unto Thee; and when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I, so much higher than I.


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