“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the
synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever
get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in
private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are
answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father
knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!
Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us
our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but
rescue us from the evil one. If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will
forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matt. 6: 5-15,
NLT)
“Prayer is beyond any question the highest activity of the human soul. Man is at his greatest and
highest when he comes face to face with God.” (Martyn Lloyd Jones) You may be like me today.
You hold prayer with the utmost respect, yet you know your own prayer life lacks purpose and vitality.
There are many reasons why Christians struggle in prayer, but one overriding factor. Listen to Martyn
Lloyd Jones:
“It is the highest activity of the human soul, and at the same time the ultimate test of a man’s
true spiritual condition. There is nothing that tells the truth about us as Christians so much as our
prayer life. Ultimately, we discover the real condition of our spiritual life when we are alone with
God . . . and find that we have less to say to God when alone with him than when we are in the
presence of others?”
Alone With God – is that your greatest desire today? Do you believe that prayer is a vital part of
our Christian experience? What are you willing to do to experience God’s power? Are you willing . . .
To close the book of complaints and open the book of God’s praise? (Psalm 103)
To ignore what you feel life owes you and think more about what you owe others?
To cease unforgiveness that leads to bitterness and just once and for all – LET IT GO?
To stop looking for friendship and start being a friend?
To be content with the material things God has already given and stop fretting about the things you
don’t have?
To enjoy God’s simple blessings and stop striving for the artificial pleasures of the day?
To quit looking for someone to help you and begin devoting yourself to helping others come to know
Christ?
Alone with God! Is that your heart desire today? If not, why do you feel as if your prayer life is
nonexistent? What do you need to change this week to experience His “wonder working power”?
Will you get still enough to know that He is God? Find a quiet place and kneel before the Lord of all
the earth. Know that He loves you and that He desires intimate communication with you.John
MacArthur says prayer is as easy as “breathing.” Stop holding your breath? Just breathe.
Dr. Derek
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