"And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
In today's quote, Jesus used another parable to expose the self righteousness and hypocrisy of the Pharisees and others like them. The parable also relates how we, today's Christians, are to pray. We are to remain Humble before God in prayer just as we are to remain humble in our daily dealings with one another.
In spite of the instructions Jesus left in today's quote, as well as in other lessons from the New Testament, the vast majority of modern "Christians" still approach prayer in a manner that is totally contrary to Jesus' instructions.
The best example of how Christian people are to pray is demonstrated by Matthew's account of this same event, Matthew 6:4-7; "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking."
In this quote, Jesus very clearly says that we are NOT to pray in public, He very directly said we are to pray in secret; "But THOU, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret" (Matthew 6:4-7).
Nothing could be made more clear than this instruction yet in every "church" I have ever attended, or heard of, someone invariable stands to "lead" public prayer in direct violation of the way Jesus told His disciples to pray.
Another admonition from the Matthew quote was that we are NOT to pray repetitiously. We are to pray for what we want ONCE, having absolute faith that God will ALWAYS hear our prayers and having absolute faith that He will hear them, so long as the answer is within His will.~
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