Christian blog posts

I remember reminding us recently that preaching is so easy, because we point fingers at other people’s sins and faults, but prayer is hard, because we have to seek God’s mercy, grace, and lift up our burdens to him, if not the burdens of others people .The worst thing to do as you pray is to look at other people’s faults and condemn them before God in prayer. That’s what the problem with the Pharisees and Sadducees. They always thought they have a high place in the presence of God, by following the legalistic laws of Moses as looked down on others. They would beat their chest in pride as they prayed, but little did they know that God wasn’t listening. This habit infuriated Jesus so much. He tells a story of two people who went to pray. One was confident of his own righteousness and looked down on everyone else. He says, “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get. ’He continues. “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner. [Luke 18:11-13]

Jesus then concludes, “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt they will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. [Luke 18:13-14]

Dear one that should always be in our minds when we pray. We have no righteous standing before God except by the cross, and is Christ who justifies us. Regardless of how many yrs we have served the Lord and remained blameless, we have no business telling him about the faults of others while exalting our works before him. If you’re not calling on God for mercy towards you and family, don’t point fingers in prayer to God to condemn others. In prayers, you bring those needs to God in supplication and repentance. Jesus got worked up with such a habit and for sure it infuriates the heavenly father too.

When Israel had sinned and God had led them to captivity, Daniel stood up in prayer for himself and his people. Note that he was the most righteous in Babylon but he cried to the Lord, “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, WE have sinned and done wrong. WE have been wicked and have rebelled; WE have turned away from your commands and laws. WE have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land. [Daniel 9:4-6]

Saint of God, note how many times the word “WE” is used in Daniel 9, yet Daniel was a righteous man of God. Never go to God with a mind of a Pharisee but be humble enough to approach him with humility as the tax collector did. Beware of this brethren, that were it not for the grace of God, we would still be counted worthy of dearth courtesy of what Adam in in Genesis. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. [Romans 6:23]. We are what we’re by the grace of God. Daniel’s prayer reached the heavens faster because he could not exempt himself from the sins of his fathers. Let us all take that approach when we appear before God in prayer. God bless you