Does Your Prayer Honor God?

"Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

The believer's two most important spiritual disciplines are Bible study and prayer. It is impossible to grow continually in Christ without practicing both. Prayer is the primary means by which we talk to God, and also a way He grows us: it is through prayer that we petition the Lord and trust Him for the answer. In this way, we learn to listen to Him, just as we learn to wait for His answer. And He loves for us to put Him in His proper place of honor through the spiritual act of worship called prayer.

Indeed, prayer is one of the best ways in which we can honor God. When we pray to our heavenly Father, we are acknowledging that He is God, that He truly is the high and exalted One who lives forever and whose name is Holy. God alone deserves glory, and we ascribe honor to Him when we pray continually - that is, maintain a God-ward attitude throughout the day, asking Him to govern every detail of our lives (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Our heavenly Father dwells both on a high and holy place and also with the contrite  and lowly in spirit. This means that our motives and the condition of our hearts are very important in prayer. Simply wanting to "get our way" is not the spirit of prayer that honors God. Furthermore, it does not produce prayers that  God will answer. The Lord longs for an intimate relationship with us, and time spent in communication is the best way to grow close to Him.

Lord, examine the motives and conditions of my heart. I want to exalt You in Your proper place of honor. Make me lowly in spirit. Amen

~Charles Stanley~