May 30, 2010 Genuine Prayer
Today’s Bible Reading: Proverbs 13; Proverbs 14; Proverbs 15; Romans 11 (The Message)
Scripture Focus:
Proverbs 15: 8 God can’t stand pious poses,
but he delights in genuine prayers.
Observation:
God can tell the fake from the real. Piously spoken prayers that are more for show than from the heart are a waste of time. God not only won’t answer them—he doesn’t like them! But God actually delights in genuine prayers—prayers from the heart, prayers that, as Hebrews says, believe God exists and that he is the rewarder of those who seek him.
Application:
It’s easy to slip into fake prayer—to just say words without the God-pleasing kind of faith. That kind of prayer is a waste of time and even causes a negative reaction from God.
Prayer:
Father God, may my prayers be sincere, genuine, and real. May they delight your heart.
Scripture Focus:
but he delights in genuine prayers.
