Today’s Podcast
Today’s Scriptures
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – Matthew 6:5-18
Set – 1 Samuel 22; Matthew 6
Go! – 1 Samuel 22; Psalms 17; Matthew 6
Matthew 6:5-18
5 Likewise, when you pray, do not be as hypocrites who love to pray loudly at synagogue or on street corners—their concern is to be seen by men. They have already earned their reward. 6 When you pray, go into a private room, close the door, and pray unseen to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not go on and on, excessively and strangely like the outsiders; they think their verbosity will let them be heard by their deities. 8 Do not be like them. Your prayers need not be labored or lengthy or grandiose—for your Father knows what you need before you ever ask Him.9 Your prayers, rather, should be simple, like this:
Our Father in heaven,
let Your name remain holy.
10 Bring about Your kingdom.
Manifest Your will here on earth,
as it is manifest in heaven.
11 Give us each day that day’s bread—no more, no less—
12 And forgive us our debts
as we forgive those who owe us something.
13 Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
But let Your kingdom be,
and let it be powerful
and glorious forever. Amen.14 If you forgive people when they sin against you, then your Father will forgive you when you sin against Him and when you sin against your neighbor. 15 But if you do not forgive your neighbors’ sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
16 And when you fast, do not look miserable as the actors and hypocrites do when they are fasting—they walk around town putting on airs about their suffering and weakness, complaining about how hungry they are. So everyone will know they are fasting, they don’t wash or anoint themselves with oil, pink their cheeks, or wear comfortable shoes. Those who show off their piety, they have already received their reward. 17 When you fast, wash your face and beautify yourself with oil, 18 so no one who looks at you will know about your discipline. Only your Father, who is unseen, will see your fast. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
Today’s Devotional
From today’s background scripture God might say:
I can’t tell you how important prayer is to you. So many think of prayer as just a few rote words at meal or bedtime, but prayer is so much more. It’s communicating with Me. How else will you know Me or express yourself to Me except through prayer? I must hear from you for you to solidify your relationship with Me.
Can you imagine building a friendship or a marriage without talking to each other? How would you ever get your thoughts across? How would you support each other? How would you help each other reach your goals, your dreams? If you don’t talk to each other you wouldn’t know each others dreams, so you would only get in each others way. Relationships would crumble and die.
The same is true in your relationship with Me. We need to talk to each other. I left you My word. In most Bibles, it’s only twelve or thirteen hundred pages. That might sound like a lot, but it’s the length of about three or four novels. Isn’t reading My word as important as reading the latest novel? Just three or four pages a day and you’ve read My word through in a year. Doesn’t My relationship with you mean at least that much to you?
It’s equally important to talk to Me. Yes, I know your thoughts before you speak them, but often you don’t know them until you articulate them. Praying helps put your thoughts about Me or about your concerns, your intercession, your praise into your consciousness and give coherence to your thought. You explore who I am and what I’ve done for you when you pray. You share your deepest feelings, your doubts and fears when you pray. Then I can come to you and meet your needs and you know I’m the one who does it.
We need to talk to each other. I talk to you a myriad ways, but principally through My word. Read it, meditate on it, learn of Me. Listen to Me in nature, in the character and thoughts of other followers of Mine. Share with them your thoughts, also. Voice your prayers to Me. It takes few words, but it takes words from the heart.
Prayer changes things. You don’t like the way things are around you? Then pray.
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