A Year in Prayer With Jesus is not one of Rivershore's books, but we received a request to feature it and we are more than happy to!
Welcome to the second stop on Author Marilynn Dawson's virtual book tour for her soon-to-be-released book, “A Year in Prayer With Jesus.” Today we feature an excerpt from the introduction of her book:
The Sermon on the Mount. . . Matthew chapters 5 – 7, could be described as Christ's dissertation on how the one who follows Him will live and carry out their daily activities. While the Apostle Paul at that time was Saul the Pharisee, he would echo Christ's teachings quite decidedly in the years to come through his various letters to the churches across the region.
Included in Christ's dissertation that day, was a talk on how to pray. Prayer in the life of a Jew was very much part of everyday life. The more devout the Jew, the more they prayed. This was particularly true of the Pharisees who not only thought it important to pray, but important to be seen while doing so. Piety was deemed something to be flaunted, rather than hidden under the cloak of humility.
Fast forward 2000+ years into our time period, and we still have people and clergy thinking it necessary that everyone knows their piousness. The need for long public prayers eloquently spoken in loud, solemn voices is somehow evidence of that person's elevation above the common man and an indication of how he has God's attention. This behaviour can be seen anywhere from the pulpit to the prayer room. But does it truly show the piety of the person praying? Do they really have that much of an “in” with God?
If we take Christ's words at face value, the answer is NO!
Matthew 6:5-8 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. 6 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. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
So if the wordy prayers are out, if we are not to pray in a manner that showcases our pride, and if God already knows what we need before we ask, then how exactly do we pray? What exactly, do we pray for? Both of these questions are given to us in the form of “The Lord's Prayer”.
Click this link here to get your fourth single day prayer guide outline.
http://songdove.fa-ct.com/stuff/YPWJ/YPWJ-day83.pdf
Be sure to stop by Marilynn's blog (http://songdove.fa-ct.com/wordpress-mu/songdovemusing) on June 30th for your next single day prayer guide free download. Be sure to sign up for her monthly newsletter for yet another free gift! Don't you just love FREE?
In addition to these free downloads, Marilynn is giving away a complete one-month sample of her next book via the rafflecopter app below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Matthew 6:5-8 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. 6 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. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
So if the wordy prayers are out, if we are not to pray in a manner that showcases our pride, and if God already knows what we need before we ask, then how exactly do we pray? What exactly, do we pray for? Both of these questions are given to us in the form of “The Lord's Prayer”.
Click this link here to get your fourth single day prayer guide outline.
http://songdove.fa-ct.com/stuff/YPWJ/YPWJ-day83.pdf
Be sure to stop by Marilynn's blog (http://songdove.fa-ct.com/wordpress-mu/songdovemusing) on June 30th for your next single day prayer guide free download. Be sure to sign up for her monthly newsletter for yet another free gift! Don't you just love FREE?
In addition to these free downloads, Marilynn is giving away a complete one-month sample of her next book via the rafflecopter app below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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