Is God listening to you when you pray a silent prayer?

A lot of churches these days tell their congregations to pray openly and loudly. Certainly this has a place but Jesus also told us to pray when we are alone, in a quiet space!

Core Text:

Pray to your Father in private. He knows what is done in private, and he will reward you. (Matthew 6:6 CEV)

Some believers think that they should pray out loud (even if they are alone) in order for God to hear their prayer! Some translations translate the word “κλείω” pronounced “kli'-o” with “Private” (Like in our core verse from the CEV translation). But “κλείω” can also be translated with “Silent” or “quiet”.

Clearly when Jesus said that we should pray privately or silent prayers, He meant that we can pray a silent prayer when we feel it necessary. In the early Church believers prayed together, like in Acts 1:14: These all with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

We find believers in the Bible that chose to pray a silent prayer and other people who prayed out loud together. The point is that we are never alone even when we decide to pray a silent prayer! God is always with us and He always knows our thoughts.

There is no reason that Christians should feel that no one is hearing them. God always hears. He is all seeing and all knowing. Pray and remember you have no reason to feel that you are not heard!

Till next time!

How firm is your faith in prayers? Jesus learnt us to be very firm! - The Lord’s prayer- part 7

Core text:

For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. (Matthew 6:13 MKJV)

This text reminds me of the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9. Here it’s all about God being praised and about His goodness!

This part of the Lord’s Prayer starts by addressing God and then talks about the kingdom of God. This is the end of the Lord’s Prayer. But in the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer we also read about the kingdom of God, then flows the physical needs of the people. This is like “Give us our daily bread” in Matthew 6:11. After that we read about the forgiveness of sins in Matthew 6:12. This is about the brokenness of people and need for forgiveness.

Now at the end of the Lord’s Prayer we read the same words as stated, by Jesus, at the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer. This last part acts as a testimony about God. He is the owner of the kingdom. He is the powerful one and He is almighty. All glory to Him and He will be forever!

It is because of the power of God that He can provide for us. For example the verse that says, “our daily bread” in Matthew 6:11. With the ending of the Lord’s Prayer we tell God that we not only know that He is powerful but that we are certain that He will provide for us on earth.

In other words, it’s all about the firmness of our faith and the Word of God!

Till next time!

Who can test Christians? God or the devil? - Lord’s Prayer part 6

Core verse:

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil. (Matthew 6:13 MKJV)

The word temptation refers to the future. Who can lead Christians into temptation? Can God test us? Or does the devil try to trick us?

Before we start answering these questions, I must point out that this is not a license to commit a sin! Over the years some people thought that only the devil (or evil) one can let us commit sin and then by praying “lead us not into temptation” cleanses a believer from the presence of the devil, (as they understood), which means that no action can be a sin because the devil is not there to make them commit a sin. This is of course not the modern interpretation of the Bible. Jesus said: “Go, and sin no more”. (John 8:11 MKJV)

Who can lead us into temptation?

·         God? “Let no one being tempted say, I am tempted from God. For God is not tempted by evils, and He tempts no one”. (James 1:13 MKJV) God doesn’t test us!

·         The devil? Yes, “The devil said, "If you are God's Son, jump off. The Scriptures say: 'God will give his angels orders about you. They will catch you in their arms, and you won't hurt your feet on the stones.' “Jesus answered, "The Scriptures also say, 'Don't try to test the Lord your God!' “(Matthew 4:6-7 CEV). The devil has a reputation to tempt people.

Pray with me:

Lord, lead me in such a way that I don’t walk into the traps that the devil prepared for me. Teach me your will so that I can avoid the devil and all evil. Help me that I can withstand the tests of the devil.

Till next time!

Must Christians do something to be forgiven by God? Like forgiving others?

Core verse:

“…and forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors”. (Matthew 6:12 MKJV)

 Why should we ask for forgiveness of sins? Why is it important to ask for forgiveness? Why should we forgive others, including our enemies?

In our previous post we discussed how God will provide for believers! Jesus taught us to pray: ““…and forgive us our debts” and right after that He prayed: “give us our daily bread”! The “debts” in this case the sins refer to the sins of a person. This is probably no coincidence. Jesus is recognizing the needs of the flesh as well as the needs of the spirit. The needs of the flesh are food, daily. The needs for the spirit are the forgiveness of God, as Jesus said in Luke 4:4:

And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written that "man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word of God." (Luke 4:4 MKJV)

By praying the Lord’s Prayer and the core verse we recognize that we are accountable for our sins and that we, alone, can’t pay for it ourselves! That is why we need Jesus! He paid the ultimate price on the cross and because of that our sins can be forgiven! But first we must recognize that we have sinned and that we need Jesus for forgiveness!

There is a second part in our core verse. That is “as we also forgive our debtors”. In other words that is that we should forgive other people that wronged or sinned against us! I must point out at this stage that you can only be saved through Christ: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus“(Romans 8:1 MKJV). You cannot be saved by doing deeds! That includes forgiving others, as forgiving others is also a deed. The forgiveness of others cannot be a requirement for sins being forgiven by God. Jesus paid the ultimate price.

The “as we also forgive our debtors” rather refers to the relationship you have with others.  Jesus said: “and (love) your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27 MKJV). Christians should love everyone as him or herself, even your enemies. How can you love your enemies in this way if you don’t forgive them?

Pray, always, that God will forgive you and always forgive others in order to try and keep at peace with them!

Till next time!

How Jesus taught us to pray- Lord’s Prayer part 4

Give us this day our daily bread; (Matthew 6:11 MKJV)

In Matthew 6:10 (given above in italics) Jesus is confessing that He is dependent on God. This is how He taught His followers to pray- we should also confess that we are dependent on God. Why is it important to confess that we are dependent on God? The following verse can give us a glimpse why it is important:

Every good and true thing is given to us from heaven, coming from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change or any shade made by turning. (James 1:17 BBE)

The human race may think that they are self-sufficient or self-reliant, but that’s not the Biblical view! Every good thing comes from God! We should acknowledge that God is providing for us in our everyday needs. That is what Jesus is trying to teach His followers.

=> We can pray to God about our everyday needs!

Share your thoughts on how God provided for you!

Till next time.

How Jesus taught us to pray- Lord’s Prayer part 3

Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. (Matthew 6:10 MKJV)

In the previous two posts we discussed how Jesus taught us to pray. It was about how Jesus approached a prayer, it was a way that gave all honor to God. Now we continue with the last entry to this part of the Lord’s Prayer. It is still about God and His will.

The last part of Matthew 6:10 are about Gods ground. God’s kingdom is perfect in heaven, but evil in still on Earth. That is why we should pray that God’s will must be done on Earth. This is not for the sake of God. If He wanted His will on Earth He would put it here. I mean God is the almighty one! No, it’s for our sake.

We don’t always know what Gods will is. In fact it is sometimes very possible that we may ask God for things that He doesn't want to give us. In other words we may ask for things that we shouldn't get, for our own sake. God may for example know that something you ask for is not the best for you. God may have better things in store for you. That better things is Gods will. Now God know what is best for you. That is why we should rely on His will and pry that “Your will be done”.

 If we ask for something in prayer and it is not Gods will, then this part of the Lord’s prayer will make up for it. Because in Matthew 6:10 we acknowledge that Gods will is the best for us.

Share your thoughts on Gods will!

Till next time!