30 Days On The Mount

Jesus assumes that his followers will pray; when you pray. He knows that this is the most important factor to the growth of his spiritual kingdom and its methods cannot be left to anyone’s private interpretation. In the spiritual realm the more faithfully we pray, the more the Lord will work; the less we pray, the more we will have to work. We again are introduced to the hypocrites, religious actors who are putting on a splendid performance using prayer as their stage. ‘They love to pray’…unfortunately it is not prayer which they love, nor God… but the opportunity which public praying gives them to parade themselves. ’ xiv They want everyone to see how devout they are, so they make sure that they can be found ‘on the corners of the widest streets’ xiv during the designated hours of prayer. The motivation is all wrong, to be seen by others. Something so holy as talking with God is used to adore oneself. ‘This tendency on our part to self - adulation is something that follows us even into the very presence of God.’ xiv In our fallen state, we even want to use God for our own glory. Jesus does not like this. There is a reward for the hypocrite ’ s prayer; it is a greater admiration of oneself and pride that others are so impressed with their devotion to God. The problem with this fleeting reward is that it has no benefit in heaven and has no lasting spiritual accomplish ment. ‘If I turn my self into a spectator of my own prayer performance, if I am giving a show for my own benefit…since we have heard ourselves, God will not hear us. xiv Jesus illustrates this in the story of the self- congratulatory Pharisee: “The Pharisee stood and prayed this Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

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