Pray in Secret – Dec 8th, 2019
Command: Pray in secret
Matthew 6:6
6“But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
Matthew 6:1-18
Story: Jesus prays early in the morning
Mark 1: 35-38
35In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. 36Simon and his companions searched for Him; 37they found Him, and said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38He said to them, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for.”
Colossians 4:2
2Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;
Ephesians 6:18
18With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
When meditating on the commands and stories, keep these questions in mind:
- What do I learn about God, Jesus, and/or the Holy Spirit?
- What do I learn about man/ people?
- What troubles or bothers me? What does the Holy Spirit reveal to me in light of this?
- How does the command connect to the story?
- What is God saying to me (or what should I obey) & what am I going to do about it?
- Do I have any fears, doubts, or resistance in keeping this command?
- What does this command reveal about the condition of my heart – what do I really believe and what do I really want?