Jesus starts out telling us not to draw attention to ourselves when we give to the needy. He knows what we’re giving and that’s all that matters. He will reward us for giving, the only reward you will get for drawing attention to yourself is admiration from the people which means nothing.

God wants us to pray to him, he wants us to open our hearts to him. It doesn’t matter how long or short you pray, it just needs to be sincere.  Jesus tells us to pray “The Lord’s Prayer” when we pray. Here’s a breakdown to better understand “The Lords Prayer”:

The first three sentences of this prayer focus on the glory of God.

• “Our Father in Heaven” is how we should address our God. It shows that he is our holy God and we are his children.
• “May You Name be Honored” is praising God for who he is.
• “May Your Kingdom Come, May You Will Be Done On Earth As It Is In Heaven” is asking God’s “will” to be the main influence in your life.

The remaining sentences focus on personal needs:

• “Give Us Our Food For Today” is making our physical and personal needs known to God. We know he already knows our needs and promises that he will provide for our needs (Phillippians 4:19).
• “Forgive Us For Our Sins As We Forgive Those Who Sinned Against Us” You must confess your sins to God daily. If you’re holding on to sin, he will not hear you. You can’t ask him for forgiveness if you can’t forgive others.
• “And Don’t Let Us Yield To Temptation, But Deliver Us From The Evil One.”  We know we will fall into sin but we’re asking God to take our desire to sin away from us.

I love “The Lord’s Prayer”. I try to remember that I don’t need to pray for every single thing because God already knows my needs and wants and he will grant them according to his “Will”.

This is one of my favorite things in scripture “Don’t Store Your Treasures On Earth”. Jesus isn’t talking about your “stockpile” or “savings”. He’s speaking of accumulating possessions that aren’t necessary or to impress others. This is one of the things my blog focuses on. We know God will provide so why are we afraid to give to others in need?

We must keep our vision clear. Material things in this world are only temporary. I’ve made mistakes in the past with this and I’m suffering the consequences today. I know that it’s only temporary and that’s what helps me get through it. Putting God first in my life, helps me get through each day.

This is an open discussion, feel free to leave a comment or question.

Read: Matthew 7

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To Be Continued Thursday, September 9th……………